- Government of Montenegro
Victoria Nuland of State Department: Montenegro ca...
Victoria Nuland of State Department: Montenegro can count on US support in final stage of its NATO integration
New York, the USA (11 March 2015) -- During his working visit to the United States, Montenegro's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration Igor Lukšić visited Washington, where he met with Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs at the State Department Victoria Nuland.
Mrs Nuland reiterated the United States' commitment to assisting Montenegro in the final stage of its NATO integration process in terms of implementing the objectives set by the end of this year and stressed importance of continuing implementation of priorities in the key areas.
Deputy Prime Minister Lukšić pointed to the progress Montenegro has made in the four key areas within its Euro-Atlantic agenda, including the rule of law, reform of military and security sector, emphasising importance of the assistance the US provides to Montenegro in that regrad.
He said that the start of the intensified and focused dialogue, as well as results of the reforms having been implemented, testify to clearly recognised progress Montenegro has made.
"There is a strong commitment to fulfill all the prerequisites in order to get the membership invitation by the end of 2015. We believe that Montenegro's accession to NATO is a guarantor of stability in the Western Balkans and is also relevant to NATO's open door policy," Montenegro's head of diplomacy stressed.
Deputy Prime Minister Lukšić also presented Montenegro's vision on how to resolve the Prevlaka issue, hoping the current dispute regarding Sutorina will be resolved as quickly as possible by signing an agreement on establishing border with Bosnia and Herzegovina, on which the two countries had agreed earlier.
It was noted that strengthening economic ties among the Western Balkan's countries and promoting investment cooperation through using the existing mechanisms within the regional initiatives should take central stage in the years ahead.