UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon: Montenegro makes impressive progress

New York, the USA (29 April 2014) -- Montenegro's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration Igor Lukšić, who is paying his three-day visit to the USA, met with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and President of the General Assembly John William Ashe. 

Meeting between the DPM Lukšić and UN Secretary-General Ki-moon welcomed very dynamic and broad cooperation between Montenegro and the UN, which has been confirmed most recently on the occasion of the opening of the UN Eco Building in Podgorica and the visit of UN Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson.

The UN Secretary-General said he was deeply impressed by the overall progress Montenegro has made in recent years. He also commended Motnenegro for its constructive role in the preservation and improvement of regional and international stability.

Montenegro’s head of diplomacy highlighted the country's commitment to the UN objectives and the principles of the UN Charter, and he voiced Montenegro’s readiness to continue providing an active contribution to the global agenda by participating in UN bodies and peace missions. 

DPM Lukšić also underlined the importance of integration processes and activities aimed at meeting international standards in various areas.

The meeting with General Assembly President John Ashe served as a good opportunity to exchange opinions on the current processes of defining the post-2015 development agenda, emhasising Montenegro’s contribution to the work of the Open Working Group on Sustainable Development. It was concluded that the UN is irreplaceable in the global governance system and noted that the world organisation needs to adjust to contemporary challenges.

The meetings also confirmed Montenegro’s responsible approach to the protection and improvement of human rights at national and international levels, especially through its membership of the UN’s Human Rights Council.