Minister Radulović talked to Secretary-General Schmid: Montenegro and the OSCE are committed to enhancing cooperation

Minister of Foreign Affairs Đorđe Radulović spoke today in an online format with Helga Schmid, newly appointed Secretary-General of the Organization for European Security and Cooperation (OSCE). Minister Radulović congratulated his interlocutor on assuming the office, assessing that we perceive the OSCE as a reliable partner, thus expressing the belief that cooperation will be additionally enhanced in the forthcoming period. As he stated, “we expect the nomination of the new Head of Mission of the OSCE to Montenegro so as to cooperate by joint efforts on all activities of mutual interest”. In addition, he praised the activities of Sweden concerning chairmanship to OSCE, which represents a signal of a clear commitment to all questions of international importance, emphasizing that this organization is a certain bridge between East and West.

Head of Montenegrin diplomacy informed interlocutor that foreign policy objectives of Montenegro remain the same, whereby fostering of good-neighborly relations and regional cooperation takes an especially important place. In that regard, he pointed out the importance of the trust-building and reconciliation process in the Western Balkans region, in which OSCE and the Regional Youth Cooperation Office (RYCO) play a very important role. He reminded of two Montenegrin candidatures for a leadership position of RYCO, expressing the belief that the eventual choice of our representatives would signify an additional incentive for empowering contacts and dynamization of activities in connecting the region that “we perceive as the key of social progress”.

Secretary-General Schmid highlighted that OSCE supports every process that leads to reconciliation, trust-building, and further strengthening of regional cooperation. She welcomed the Montenegrin efforts concerning good-neighborly relations policy enhancing, and the importance of political narrative in that regard. Furthermore, she commended the active participation of our country within the organization.

“OSCE is undertaking all activities in course of nominating the Head of Mission to Montenegro, with regard to further mutual activities and communication” pointed our Schmid.

At the meeting, it was also discussed the necessity of strengthening cooperation in the gender equality domain, fight against organized crime and violence against women, and economic recovery from consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. Interlocutors considered the organization of reciprocal visits, thus agreeing to continue the communication regarding that matter.