Press release: Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic meets British Ambassador to Serbia and Montenegro David Gowan

Montenegrin Prime Minister met in Podgorica today with British Ambassador to the State Union David Gowan, who was paying an official visit to Montenegro, accompanied by his associates.

General satisfaction was expressed with the development of bilateral relations and cooperation and the importance of the recently completed customs cooperation projects for improving the efficiency of Montenegros Customs Administration in applying contemporary European standards was recognized. Both sides reiterated their readiness to promote different forms of cooperation, above all, economic.

The Prime Minister informed the Ambassador of the current political and economic developments in the Republic, concluding that the political situation was stable and macroeconomic trends positive for the third year in a row. He explained that this had encouraged considerable growth in foreign direct investment and the tourism industry, in which Montenegro was a regional leader.

The Prime Minister noted that the Governments priorities for the next period included further strengthening of macroeconomic stability and faster European and Euro-Atlantic integration, i.e. the signing of a Stabilization and Association Agreement with the European union and membership of NATOs Partnership for Peace by the end of the year. However, he said the requirement of the State Unions full cooperation with The Hague Tribunal was an obstacle on the road to international integration and added that, having fulfilled all of its obligations in that respect, Montenegro rightly expected it would no longer suffer the consequences of a lack of cooperation from the other member state.

At the Ambassadors request, the Prime Minster gave him an update on the course of preparations for the referendum on Montenegros state status, expressing his satisfaction that all the interested parties had reached an agreement on relevant issues in the Parliament. He stressed that all the parties advocating full restoration of Montenegros statehood were fully committed to achieving a positive result, in accordance with the agreed referendum rules, adding that the question of majority had both a legal and a democratic dimension, which had to be observed.

Ambassador Gowan expressed his satisfaction with the agreement the interested parties had reached on the referendum process, paving the road to high political expectations in the following period. He also inquired about the activities expected for the post-referendum process.

In that regard, the Prime Minister said there were plans to take the necessary internal measures regarding relations with the other member state and other countries and international organizations. He once again emphasized that, after restoring its statehood and achieving independence, Montenegro wished to maintain the best of relations with Serbia, adding that it would soon adopt a unilateral.