Clinton admits he had affair with Flowers

WASHINGTON, Jan 22: President Bill Clinton has acknowledged for the first time last Saturday that he had an affair with Gennifer Flowers during the 1970s, AP said quoting a published report.

The Washington Post says in today's editions that the statement came during the president's six-hour deposition in the Paula Jones sexual harassment lawsuit. The Post quoted unidentified sources familiar with his testimony.

During the 1992 presidential campaign, Clinton denied Flowers' statements that he was romantically involved with her but admitted having caused pain in his marriage.

Ms Flowers, who lives in Dallas, called The Associated Press early today after hearing the report from a friend.

Asked for comment, she said, "I have none at this time," but then added, 'it's hard to believe after all this time...', she said. She said she planned to make a fuller statement later today.

The Post said White House special counsel Lanny Davis declined to comment about the testimony on Flowers, citing the gag order imposed by the judge in the Jones case.

Reuter adds: British newspapers today raised the spectre of the Watergate scandal that toppled Richard Nixon in reporting new accusations of sexual impropriety against President Clinton.

The tabloid Daily Star proclaimed the advent of 'naughtygate' while the Mirror declared: "Kiss and tell girls line up". Heavyweight newspapers showed on less interest, publishing photographs of 'all the president's women' and mapping out a path to impeachment if the accusations proved true.

Clinton has denied accusations that he had an improper sexual relationship with a 21-year-old White House intern and that he later pressed her to deny the affair under oath.

The woman, Monica Lewinsky, was being questioned by the lawyers of Paula Jones, who has brought a lawsuit against the president on accusations of sexual harassment.

"Seventeen sex tapes that may destroy Clinton," said the Mirror. "Sex, lies and Clinton," said the Guardian, in reference to tapes of Lewinsky's accusations that US media said were made by another former White House employee.

"Clinton faces new Watergate," was the splash headline in London's Evening Standard. The presidency, it said, faced its biggest crisis since the Nixon era.