German defence minister: NATO Summit in Wales sends message-Montenegro most serious candidate for membership

Berlin, Germany (4 November 2014) – Montenegro’s progress towards Euro – Atlantic accession is evident and visible, and further improvements from regional security and cooperation aspects are very important for the country, today's meeting between Montenegro's Minister of Defence Milica Pejanović Đurišić and her German counterpart Ursula von der Leyen emphasised.

Minister Pejanović Đurišić thanked Minister der Leyend for the German continued support for Montenegro's EU and NATO bid. In that regard, she underlined that Montenegro will continue being a stability factor in the region, reiterating its commitment to implementing reforms during the period of focused and intensified dialogue in order to meet the required NATO standards.

Montenegro has achieved significant results when it comes to the reform process in various areas, namely the rule of law, security sector, strengthening  of the public support and modernisation of its Armed Forces, Minister Pejanović Đurišić highlighted. NATO membership remains its key foreign policy goal and intensified and focused dialogue sends a clear message that NATO partner states are willing to find a model for inviting Montenegro to become  the next member before the upcoming NATO summit, she added.

Ministed der Leyen commended Montenegro's progress in the security sector reform, particularly the state's contribution to the collective security system through its engagement in international peace keeping missions. In that regard, she stressed that joint participation in the ISAF mission in Afghanistan confirms the high level of trust established between the two states, highlighting that the Summit in Wales's decision testifies to the fact that Montenegro is the most serious and the fittest candidate for the membership.

German Ministry of Defence is willing to continue supporting Montenegro's Euro – Atlantic path, Minister der Leyen stressed, voicing belief that the cooperation between Germany and Montenegro will be intensified and more comprehensive.