USA: Support in the last phase of Montenegro’s integration into NATO

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Continuing the visit to the United States of America, Minister of Defence Prof Milica Pejanović-Đurišić, PhD met with Congressman Micheal Turner from Ohio. The Minister congratulated Congressman Turner on his reappointment and thanked him for strong engagement and promotion of Montenegrin interests in the Congress. She also informed her interlocutor about the activities which took place within focused and intensified dialogue with NATO. Congressman Turner, who is also the President of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, affirmed the achieved progress of Montenegro on its way to the NATO pointing out full support of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly to the NATO's “open door” policy.

The Minister was also talking to Co-Chair of Montenegrin Caucus Doug Lamborn who expressed the commitment to the promotion of achieved Montenegrin progress in all areas. He said that the Caucus members regularly summarized achieved results which recommended our country for rapid acceptance into the Alliance. Minister Pejanović-Đurišić and Congressman Lamborn have talked about further aspects and forms of the Congress support to the Euro-Atlantic aspirations of Montenegro. Senator Ben Cardin also referred his strong support for Montenegro to be invited to NATO by the end of the year.

Minister of Defence Prof Milica Pejanović-Đurišić, PhD also met with President of German Marshall Fund Karen Donfried and Advisor for security and defence policy at GMF Derek Chollet. The Minister informed her interlocutors about the achieved results and implementation of reforms in key areas rated as priorities – rule of law, fight against corruption, reform of defence and security sectors, and strengthening public support. She pointed out strong commitment of Montenegro to fulfil all prerequisites for receiving invitation to NATO by the end of 2015, and emphasized that the certain prospect of membership of Montenegro, was also important from the aspect of strengthening the stability of the Western Balkans. She expressed her expectation that the United States will continue to provide strong support to Montenegro in the final phase of integrations. President of GMF Donfried and Advisor Chollet pointed out that Montenegro has made significant progress towards full membership in NATO and emphasized importance of continuous implementation of set priorities. They agreed in their assessment that Montenegro’s membership would contribute to the overall stabilization of the situation in the region, and, in this line, promised their support in the last phase of Montenegro’s integration into NATO.

Minister Pejanović-Đurišić held a lecture at Georgetown University on the topic: “NATO and EU Enlargement: Challenges for the New Europe”. After the lecture, the Minister talked with the post-graduate students of School of Foreign Service about the actual security, political, and socio-economic issues in the light of current developments in Eastern Europe and their reflection on the region. She emphasized that only integration of all countries and adoption of EU standards can contribute to the lasting peace, stability, and economic progress of the region.