Foreign minister Antonio Tajani wants Nato's incoming secretary-general Mark Rutte to choose an Italian as a new special envoy for the southern Mediterranean, in line with Italy's requests.
"I hope that the next secretary-general's choice will be more balanced and more respectful of Italian requests," Tajani said on the sidelines of the European Foreign Council in Brussels.
Outgoing Nato secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg has appointed the Spaniard Javier Colomina as envoy for the military alliance's southern flank.
Italy lobbied hard for the creation of the new position at this month's Nato summit in Washington, arguing that the envoy should be an Italian from Nato and an expert in Mediterranean area from the Balkans to Africa and the Middle East but also the Gulf.
There are some "excellent" Italian candidates, Tajani told media on the sidelines of the Nato summit in Washington held from 9-11 July.
Rutte will become Nato secretary-general on 1 October when Stoltenberg's term expires after 10 years at the helm.
