Ancona: Address of the Minister of Foreign Affairs Milan Rocen at the meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Adriatic-Ionian Initiative

MILAN ROĆEN, MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF MONTENEGRO:

(Address at the meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Adriatic-Ionian Initiative,

Ancona, May 5, 2010)

 

 

 

Mr. Chairman,

Dear colleagues,

Excellencies,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

 

I would like to greet you most warmly on behalf of the Government of Montenegro. I would like to express gratitude and congratulate to our host Italy, to Minister Frattini and his team for their extraordinary contribution to the affirmation of the Adriatic-Ionian Initiative by raising its visibility in the Region and in Europe and intensifying cooperation between members during the Italian Presidency. This has been a period in which new practical steps were taken towards the implementation of our common goals and tasks through project cooperation on political, economic and cultural level.

 

I would particularly like to congratulate to the Permanent Secretariat of the Initiative which has coordinated the activities of member countries while implementing technical, financial and administrative tasks. Thank you for your hospitality and excellent organization of the meeting. There is a special symbolic in the fact that we are gathered here in beautiful Ancona, where the Adriatic-Ionian Initiative has been founded 10 years ago. Also, because Marche region has been a coordinator more than two decades ago of a South and Central Adriatic Working Community. This Community brought together all former Yugoslav republics and five regions of Italy. Many have probably forgotten that the last meeting of the presidents of Governments of all Yugoslav republics during the time of great Yugoslavia took place here in this region, in the city of Urbino. Today, after the conclusion of the Yugoslav tragedy, friendly and important European country Italy is one of the main cosponsors of the European and Euro Atlantic course of all our countries which are linked by these common strategic goals. The Adriatic-Ionian Initiative is one of the mechanisms for strengthening good-neighborly relations and cooperation and for our accelerated progress towards the EU and NATO membership.

 

Montenegro is taking over the Presidency of the Initiative today. This is a great challenge, but also a great opportunity for our young state. Learning from the example of Italy, we will make an effort to build closer cooperation in all areas of common interest. Montenegro is optimistic about the perspective of the Initiative. We believe that the project-oriented cooperation supported by the international community will articulate joint goals and realize concrete interests which will bring a new European wind to the sails of our countries and of the region as a whole.

 

As an Adriatic and a Mediterranean country that is making huge steps towards the EU, Montenegro will pay particular attention to intensifying activities on drafting of the EU Strategy for the Adriatic-Ionian macro region. Our friends in the Baltic are already enjoying the fruits of such well-designed policy. I would like to take the opportunity to thank them for sharing this experience with us.

 

I would like to congratulate all member countries for exploring the value of the comparative advantages of the region and for adequately using its resources and potentials. I would also like to reiterate the readiness of Montenegro to continue the implementation of projects launched during the Italian and other Presidencies and intensify cooperation in tourism, transport, economy, development of small and medium enterprises. Our Constitution states that Montenegro is an ecological state. This is why I would like to emphasize the protection of environment as an area of particular value for our region and all member countries. In this context, I would like to underline the importance of the role of the Three-party Commission for the Adriatic and the interest to integrate all the countries of the region.

 

Montenegro is chairing two more very important regional initiatives this year – Central European Initiative and SEECP. We will strive to emphasize the comparative advantages of each of these Initiatives, so that the Adriatic-Ionian Initiative would preserve its authenticity in this puzzle by modernizing the basic principles and goals it was based on, along the lines of the excellent work Italy has launched and framed. I expect your full support and understanding in this demanding task. I look forward to our next meeting in Montenegro.

 

I am convinced that the course and the results of this meeting as well as the documents we have prepared will represent trustworthy guidelines for joint activities during the Montenegrin Presidency.

 

Thank you.