Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defence Carpenter: USA to continue to support Montenegro's NATO bid

Podgorica, Montenegro (12 December 2016) -- Defence Minister Predrag Bošković hosted earlier today US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defence Michael Carpenter, who is paying a working visit to Montenegro.

Mr Carpenter congratulated Minister Bosković on his appointment, sure in the knowledge that Montenegro will continue its pace of reform and actively contribute to the implementation of NATO agenda. He stressed that the United States will continue to support Montenegro’s European and Euro-Atlantic bids.

Minister Boskovic expressed satisfaction with the support of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the US Senate for the ratification of the Protocol on the Accession of Montenegro to NATO and stressed that he expects the Senate to ratify the document in the beginning of 2017.

He reiterated that 16 member states of the Alliance have already ratified the Protocol on the Accession of Montenegro to the Alliance, hopeful that other countries will recognise the importance of the ratification as soon as possible. Minister Bošković said that Montenegro has a wealth of experience in international missions of NATO, EU and the UN, where members of the Armed Forces of Montenegro make an increasing contribution, adding that the Ministry of Defence will support the planned reform of the Montenegrin military in order to promote modernisation and increasing interoperability with Allied forces.

The two officials commended bilateral cooperation between the two countries in the field of defence and voiced willingness to consider the modalities for its further advancement.