Central African Republic minister says Becker passport fake

BANGUI, Central African Republic (AP) Central African Republic's foreign minister says a reported diplomatic passport for Boris Becker appears to be a fake and the prosecutor general will investigate.

The retired German tennis star claims that his role as Central African Republic's attache to the European Union on sporting, cultural and humanitarian affairs gives him diplomatic immunity from bankruptcy proceedings in Britain.

But the African nation's foreign minister, Charles Armel Doubane, rejected the passport that is said to be Becker's in comments to Radio Ndeke-Luka.

Presidential spokesman Albert Yalok� Mokpeme said the head of state had never appointed Becker to the post. The presidency has said that ''we are not custodians of the physical and moral integrity of this gentleman.''

Prosecutor general Eric Didier Tambo has said there will be an investigation.

Becker told the BBC that he was given the passport by the country's ambassador and believed it to be genuine.

''I have a real passport,'' he said.

He said he would be ''very happy'' to visit the Central African Republic ''and to speak to people personally about how we can move forward and how we can resolve this misunderstanding and this confusion.''