BRUSSELS, Nov 9: Belgian Defence Minister Andre Flahaut welcomed on Thursday the departure of former US defence secretary Donald Rumsfeld, whom he described as `obstinate’, and said he hoped for a change in US policy.

“Mr Rumsfeld was always a determined person -- to the point of being obstinate -- who never took the trouble to take the opinions of other defence ministers into account,” Mr Flahaut said, according to his spokesman.

Mr Rumsfeld was removed by US President George Bush after the resounding Republican defeat in Tuesday's Congressional elections -- due partly to US policy on Iraq. It was a move that brought mixed reactions, triggering both relief and concern in the US and around the world.

“It's a great victory for the Democrats in the United States and the departure of Mr Rumsfeld is an additional victory for them,” said Flahaut, who annoyed the White House by calling on Americans to vote Democrat in the 2004 presidential election.—AFP