US Assistant Secretary of Defence Slotkin: Clear sign of US support for Montenegro ahead of NATO ministerial meeting in December

Podgorica, Montenegro (18 September 2015) -- Minister of Defence of Montenegro Milica Pejanović Đurišić spoke by phone with US Assistant Secretary of Defence Elissa Slotkin.

Ms Slotkin commended Montenegro’s successful implementation of activities defined within the framework of the country’s focused and intensified dialogue with NATO. The phone call from the Pentagon followed the talks between US Vice President Joseph Biden and Prime Minister of Montenegro Milo Đukanović on Monday, 14 September.

The US Assistant Secretary of Defence reiterated the message conveyed by Vice President Biden, stressing it is a clear sign of the US support for Montenegro ahead of the December ministerial meeting, where the allies will discuss extending a membership invitation to Montenegro. She also stressed that Montenegro needs to continue pursuing necessary reforms that will be subject of NATO’s assessment in December.

Minister Pejanović Đurišić thanked Assistant Secretary of Defence Elissa Slotkin for the Pentagon’s support for Montenegro, emphasising that the latest message of full support from Washington will boost Montenegro's reform processes. She stated that the reform efforts will not end once the invitation is sent, and that Montenegro will continue fulfilling its obligations in order to be able to assume complete responsibility as a NATO member state.