Defence Minister Milica Pejanović-Đurišić takes part in North Atlantic Council defence ministers meeting in Brussels

Brussels, Montenegro (26 June 2015) -- Defence Minister Milica Pejanović-Đurišić participated in a meeting of the North Atlantic Council defence ministers from countries contributing to NATO’s Resolute Support mission in Afghanistan.

The meeting discussed the security situation in Afghanistan, with special emphasis on creating conditions for the continuation of the mission. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg voiced NATO's willingness to continue to support the Afghan Defence and Security Forces (ANDSF) through the Resolute Support mission, after which the conditions will be created for the establishment of a civilian mission that will help build the Afghan society’s. The North Atlantic Council welcomed the progress made by the Afghan Defence and Security Forces, which are fully assuming responsibility for the country's security.

Defence ministers of the member states and operational partners voiced commitment to achieving objectives of the mission and stressed the importance of further support for boosting the ANDSF's capacity.

In his speech, Minister Pejanović-Đurišić reiterated that the tenth Montenegrin contigent has been in Afghanistan since February 2015, adding it is willing to continue to participate in the Resolute Support mission. She pointed out that Montenegro will follow the plans that will be made by the alliance and consider modalities of its further engagement in Afghanistan.

Defence Minister Pejanović-Đurišić also attended a meeting of defence ministers of countries contributing to the mission in north Afghanistan (at the TAAC North headquarters), which was held at the initiative of the Defence Ministry of Germany, as the leading country in the Regional Command North. She pointed out the joint participation of the US-Adriatic Charter (A-5) countries in the Resolute Support mission, which, as a high quality contribution to NATO's efforts in establishing stability in Afghanistan, was recognised by the allies.