Minister Pejanović-Đurišić in the Halifax forum: Montenegro determined to improve the sustainability of the implemented reforms

Minister of Defence prof. Milica Pejanović-Đurišić, PhD participated in VI Halifax International Security Forum which was held from 21 to 23 November 2014 in Halifax, Nova Scotia. In this year forum in Halifax, the participants exchanged views on contemporary security challenges that transcend national borders, equally affected all countries in the world, regardless of their size and the political, military and economic power.

Since, 300 representatives of the governments, armed forces, universities, NGOs and media from over 60 countries from all over the world participated in the Forum, this was a great opportunity to inform the participants about the results that Montenegro achieved in the field of European and Euro-Atlantic integration concerning the implementation of reforms in general. Moreover, Forum enabled the transmission of the clear message that the long-term peace and stability in the Balkans could only be ensured through the integration into European and Euro-Atlantic structures.  

Minister Pejanović-Đurišić participated in the session on European future and, in her speech, she stressed that the NATO and EU membership represented the foreign policy priority of Montenegro, and that the Government, through intensive activities, was dedicated to these goals. In this context, the Minister pointed out the determination of Montenegro to engage itself additionally, in the forthcoming period of the intensive and focused dialogues, to improve the sustainability of the implemented reforms, in order to be fully ready for the invitation to join the NATO next year.  

The Minister also pointed out that, in addition to NATO and the EU membership, regional cooperation was one of the foreign policy priorities of Montenegro. She pointed out that Montenegro's accession to the North Atlantic Alliance was a contribution to the lasting peace and stability in the South Eastern Europe. Additionally, she emphasized that Montenegro was ready to support any initiative that aimed to resolve open issues between the neighbours in a democratic manner, with the full respect for human rights and freedoms, and in cooperation with the partners with whom we shared the common values.

During her stay in Halifax, Minister Pejanović-Đurišić had a meeting with Minister of National Defence of Canada Robert Nicholson. Pejanović-Đurišić has indicated the possibility of further improvement of cooperation with Canada in the field of defence, especially concerning the strengthening of the Armed Forces of Montenegro capacities.

The Minister informed her Canadian counterpart about the actual activities implemented by Montenegro in the process of Euro-Atlantic integrations. She commented on the decision of the recent NATO Summit on the opening of the intensified and focused dialogue with Montenegro and assessed that it represented a distinctive recognition that Montenegro successfully implemented reforms towards full NATO membership. In this context, she informed that the activities would be continued in the future resulting in an expected membership invitation.

Minister Nicholson agreed that the decision of the NATO Summit was a positive for Montenegro, and that it represented the additional encouragement for further implementation of reforms in the relevant fields. He expressed Canadian full support to the Euro-Atlantic aspiration to Montenegro, as well as its willingness to engage directly regarding successful completion of the process the intensified dialogue with NATO.

The Minster thanked to Canada for support provided to Montenegro in the Euro-Atlantic process and expressed the expectation that Canada, like other partners, would recognize the importance of NATO membership not only from Montenegrin aspect, but also from the aspect of the stability of the Western Balkans as a whole.