PM Marković in Atlantic Council: This is small step for the USA and its allies, but great day for Montenegro

Washington, the United States (5 June 2017) -- Speaking at the annual awards ceremony of the Atlantic Council on Monday evening, Prime Minister of Montenegro Duško Marković expressed his belief that the entry of our country into NATO is historic, adding that Montenegro will prove to be able and willing to assume the responsibilities arising from membership. Stressing that our country fosters a strategic, permanent and eternal friendship with the United States, Prime Minister Marković expressed a desire to enrich relations between Montenegro and the United States with the new content – economic cooperation.

In addition to the Prime Minister of Montenegro Duško Marković, the participants were addressed by Vice President of the United States Mike Pence, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, former US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and US Admiral Michelle Howard.  

“This is a great day and I am very honored to be here and this is a great occasion also to thank the Atlantic Council and all of our friends from the United States for all the support that they are giving us on our path,” the Prime Minister said, comparing the importance of this day for Montenegro with the Armstrong’s Moon landing.

“Some fifty years ago, an American uttered the sentence that entire world remembers very well: ’This is a small step for man, but giant leap for the mankind.’ Allow me to rephrase on this historic day for Montenegro the words of Neil Armstrong: ‘This is a small step for the United States and its allies, but a great day for Montenegro’,” Prime Minister of Montenegro Duško Marković said.

“Today our country became the 29th member state of NATO and we will proof that we are a trustworthy and capable of assuming all the obligations and commitments arising from the membership. I will especially like to emphasise tonight that we would like to enrich already good, precious partnership and friendship with the United States which will hopefully be eternal by excellent economic cooperation. Montenegro is not only a beautiful country with a bond of resources; it also has a lot to offer to investors. So, I am using this opportunity to invite not only the American citizens, but also the American investors to come to Montenegro, to invest and thereby help us reach our potential to the fullest for a well of our country and our citizens and to meet Montenegrin friendly people and thus strengthen our friendship forever,” Prime Minister of Montenegro Duško Marković told the audience at the award ceremony of the Atlantic Council.

Vice President of the United States Mike Pence particularly welcomed Prime Minister Marković and a new NATO member state.

“It is an honor to be joined here this evening by the leader of the newest member of our Atlantic Alliance, Prime Minister of Montenegro Marković. Congratulations to you and to the people of Montenegro on your accession to NATO,” US Vice President Pence said.

The US Vice President also said he was privileged to meet with the Prime Minister of Montenegro at the White House.

“We had a wonderful discussion,” Vice President Pence said, underlining the importance of the meeting on the day when our country joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and former US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright specifically mentioned and welcomed the entry of our country into NATO.

Vice President Pence and former Secretary of State Albright emphasised in their speeches one of the principles that underpin NATO – an attack on one member is considered to be an attack on all the others. The US Vice President maintained that a strong NATO is of vital importance, especially in times full of temptations, such as today.

Celebration of the Atlantic Council began by entering the flag of Montenegro into the hall and placing it among the flags of the other member states of NATO.

Prime Minister Marković met with several foreign officials and leading figures of American politics and the economy at the gala dinner that followed.

PUBLIC RELATIONS SERVICE OF THE GOVERNMENT OF MONTENEGRO