Pažin, Xhaferi: Wide scope for further improvement of cooperation

Podgorica, Montenegro (3 July 2017) -- Deputy Prime Minister for Political System, Interior and Foreign Policy Zoran Pažin met today with the President of the Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia Talat Xhaferi within his official visit to Montenegro.

Congratulating President Xhaferi on the appointment of the President of the Assembly, DPM Pažin said that it is of particular importance that President Xhaferi chose Montenegro for his first official bilateral visit. DPM Pažin said that behind this decision, a clear message of full commitment to cooperation between the two countries is recognised, but also the overall maintenance of good neighborly relations in the region. Stressing the importance of Montenegro's membership in NATO and the commitment to an even more intensive process of EU membership negotiations, DPM Pažin announced the full readiness of the Government of Montenegro to make our experience and acquired practices available to the Republic of Macedonia. DPM Pažin pointed out that Montenegro, as a member of the Alliance, will be a supporter of the enlargement process and membership of the Republic of Macedonia in the NATO alliance.

President of the Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia Talat Xhaferi congratulated Montenegro on its membership in NATO and informed DPM Pažin about the tendencies of the current authorities of the Republic of Macedonia towards intensifying activities for membership of that country in the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. President Xhaferi stressed that they accessed with the same intentions to finding the model for further progress in the European integration process in order to create preconditions for the start of negotiations of Macedonia's membership in the European Union as soon as possible.

It was agreed that there is a wide scope for further improvement of cooperation, especially in economics, through the strengthening of economic ties between the two countries. The officials positively assessed assumptions that the two countries can create in the following period through the signing and implementation of bilateral agreements in the field of sports, education and science. They also stressed the importance of the commitment of the two countries to the European future and the further development of a strategic partnership with countries that inherit the principles of Western society's democracy.