Hungarian foreign minister welcomes appointment of Boris Johnson as UK foreign minister

Budapest, July 17 (MTI) – Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó has welcomed the choice of former London mayor Boris Johnson as the UK’s foreign secretary.

Szijjártó told MTI he thinks it a distinct advantage that a politician who does not affect a diplomatic style is taking over British foreign affairs. He also denounced criticism of Johnson’s appointment because he has not adopted conventional diplomatic tools.

On Thursday, European Parliament President Martin Schulz criticised the composition of Prime Minister Theresa May’s new cabinet.

The European Union is up against some extraordinary challenges and overcoming these will require real personalities with real ideas, like Johnson, Szijjártó said.

He noted that Johnson would represent the UK at a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels on Monday.

At the meeting, Szijjártó said, he would tell Johnson in person that Hungary wants economic and trade cooperation with the UK to remain as free from obstruction as possible and that it wants to defend the rights of Hungarians working in the UK.

Szijjártó also welcomed the appointment of Johnson’s predecessor, Philip Hammond, as chancellor of the exchequer. The minister added that he had discussed important European questions one-on-one with Hammond on a number of occasions.

Photo: MTI/AP/Andrew Persy

Source: MTI