Italy's Monti says important to manage crisis without EU aid

"For the dignity of a country, for its sense of confidence in itself, for the respect that the country and Italian citizens enjoy on the international stage, there is a big difference between managing alone or doing it with the help of a bailout from Europe," he told reporters following a cabinet meeting.

He ruled out further sweeping austerity measures and denied reports his government was planning to introduce a special wealth tax, saying Italy was on the right track to meet its immediate fiscal targets.

(Reporting by Catherine Hornby and James Mackenzie)