Italy accuses NATO's Stoltenberg of betrayal over new southern envoy

ROME (Reuters) - Italy's defence minister has accused NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg of betraying Rome by not appointing an Italian as the alliance's new envoy tasked with coordinating NATO's actions on its southern flank.

The position was created earlier this month at the request of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and her government said at the time they thought an Italian should be given the job.

NATO has not yet announced who will get the role, but Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto told La Stampa newspaper at the weekend that Stoltenberg had nominated a Spaniard, adding that he considered the decision as "nearly a personal affront".

Asked about Crosetto's criticism, the NATO press office said: "NATO will announce any appointment in due course." It declined to make any other comment on the minister's comments.

Crosetto said he had written "a very angry message" to Stoltenberg. "He infuriated me and there will be consequences on a personal level," he said in an highly unusual outburst by a NATO member against the head of the military alliance.

"His was a betrayal of a principle. It was Italy that had fought to create the role of envoy for the southern front," Crosetto said, adding that Stoltenberg had disagreed with the decision to create the new role and had punished Italy accordingly.

NATO last month selected former Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte to take over on Oct. 1 from Norway's Stoltenberg, who is stepping down after a decade in the post.

Asked if he expected the role to be reassigned to Italy after Stoltenberg's departure, Crosetto said he hoped it would be given "to the best person".

(Reporting by Angelo Amante; Additional reporting by Andrew Gray; Editing by Crispian Balmer and Andrew Heavens)