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Hungary not to back Rutte as next NATO chief — foreign minister

Peter Szijjarto, who is attending a NATO meeting of foreign ministers in Brussels, recalled that Mark Rutte had previously lashed out at Hungary and even threatened to have it expelled from the European Union

BUDAPEST, April 3. /TASS/. Hungary will not support Acting Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte as the next NATO secretary general, instead preferring Romanian President Klaus Iohannis for the position, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said.

Szijjarto, who is attending a NATO meeting of foreign ministers in Brussels, said that Rutte had previously lashed out at Hungary and even threatened to have it expelled from the European Union. In this regard, Hungary cannot put up with such a person being the NATO chief, the foreign minister explained.

"NATO is a defensive alliance which calls for the utmost level of trust in the leader. Hungary cannot have trust in a person who has previously talked about bringing Hungary to its knees, whether he is in top positions or at any other level," Szijjarto told Hungarian reporters during a break in the Brussels meeting, as broadcast by the M1 television channel.

The minister emphasized that amid the current complicated circumstances, it is necessary to get a consensus about the next NATO secretary general, who is expected to replace Jens Stoltenberg. His term of office expires on October 1.

"The North Atlantic Alliance can be headed only by a person who enjoys support of all the allies, and this is not the case with the Dutch prime minister," Szijjarto said.

Additionally, the foreign minister made it clear that Budapest would support Romanian President Klaus Iohannis for the position.

"We are pleased that there is a candidate from Central Europe," the Hungarian foreign minister said, recalling that a representative from this region has never yet been NATO secretary general. Szijjarto believes that the time has come to change this trend.

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