Press release: Meeting of Partnership for Peace Council

The Partnership for Peace Council, chaired by Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic, met today.

Addressing the first meeting of the body since the new Government was elected, Prime Minister Djukanovic underlined that integration into NATO was strategic priority for Montenegros foreign and security policy and that the Governments efforts in that respect would be intensified in the coming period. He pointed out that Montenegro had achieved considerable success in the process of Euro-Atlantic integration, which was recognized by the invitation from the Bucharest Summit to join the Intensified Dialogue with NATO. He explained that Montenegro was entering the most serious stage of integration into the Alliance and that dynamic performance of PfP programs would create conditions for Montenegro to gain candidacy status by joining a Membership Action Plan by the next NATO Summit.

Foreign Minister Milan Rocen, in the capacity of a cochairman of the Council, presented in more detail Montenegros activities within PfP program, Individual Partnership Action Plan and Intensified Dialogue, i.e. the preparation of IPAP and Discussion Document for ID, the drafting of which was being coordinated by the Governments Interdepartmental Committee for PfP. By the same token, he underlined that successful implementation of those programs would have a major impact on NATOs decision to admit Montenegro into MAP.

Defense Minister Boro Vucinic, as the second cochairman, acquainted the Council with the course of military programs within PfP Individual Partnership Program IPP and the Planning and Review Process PARP.

The Council concluded that further implementation of the Communication Strategy for Euro-Atlantic Integration at all levels was of critical importance for better acquainting the Montenegrin public with the process of Montenegros integration into NATO and the benefits associated with it.

The Council requested Ministries and other state institutions to give their full support to future efforts towards Montenegros Euro-Atlantic integration.