Montenegrin FM: NATO has no alternative

Source: Tanjug

PODGORICA -- Montenegrin Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Igor Lukšić has said that membership in NATO has no alternative for his country.

(Beta, file)

"NATO today has no alternative. It is the guarantor of every kind of safety to a country and it is important that the citizens of Montenegro understand in the right way that this is the best way for our children and for future development," Lukšić said.
Montenegro is currently in the Membership Action Plan (MAP), while full membership in NATO is considered to be the next step.

"Given our desire and ambition to be given an invitation for membership in 2014, we will continue with further fulfillment of obligations, and we actively contribute to global stability as a dedicated and reliable partner of the alliance," he continued.

Lukšić also told the CDM website that the Montenegrin government will in the coming period "intensify the dialogue with citizens on the subject of integration in NATO and offer sufficient arguments so that they understand the benefits of membership in the alliance."

Lukšić said that Montenegro, with the opening of negotiating chapters 23 and 24, "showed that it was a serious partner of the European Union," but that it was also "capable of meeting the demanding obligations on the road of European integration."

He pointed out that the policy of good neighborly relations also continues to be one of the priorities of Montenegro.

Commenting on relations within the Montenegrin ruling coalition, he said that there had been "better moments," but that it was "quite normal that after a long joint performance of authority there should be friction and different views on certain issues."