Croatian Foreign Minister: Montenegro deserves NATO membership

Zagreb, Croatia (21 March 2014) – Montenegro deserves to become a NATO member and Croatia actively advocates for an Alliance invitation to come at the Wales summit in September, Croatia’s Foreign Minister Vesna Pusić told a press conference after her meeting with Montenegro’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Integration and European Affairs Igor Lukšić in Zagreb yesterday. She noted, however, that there was a possibility that the forthcoming summit in Wales will not be an enlargement summit.

Minister Lukšić said that Montenegro is well aware that due to other more pressing issues enlargement may not find its way to the Wales summit agenda, but underlined that Montenegro is getting ready for membership by pursuing activities in security system reform and informing the citizens about membership benefits.

The two officials also spoke about bilateral relations, EU integration, joint activities, and future cooperation plans, among which in particular the potential for gas and oil extraction in the Adriatic.

Minister Lukšić told the press that Montenegro will make use of Croatia’s EU integration experience and thanked Croatia for its help to Montenegro, who is now deep into the negotiation process and making notable progress.