Formal decision on Montenegro's membership bid is to be made at a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in early December
World Bulletin / News Desk
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Monday said he was encouraged by recent reforms in Montenegro and saw "growing support" for inviting the tiny Balkan nation to join the Western military alliance.
A formal decision on Montenegro's membership bid is to be made at a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in early December.
"I will not prejudge the decision... but I sense some kind of growing support for inviting Montenegro," Stoltenberg said at a gathering of lawmakers from NATO member states in Norway's southwestern town of Stavanger.
"Montenegro is really making progress both when it comes to the rule of law, when it comes to establishing an independent judiciary but also when it comes to modernising its armed forces, its intelligence services," he said.
"I am actually encouraged by the progress I've seen."
Stoltenberg is due to visit the Montenegro capital Podgorica later this week.
After breaking away from a loose alliance with Serbia in 2006, the Adriatic nation of around 630,000 people announced its desire to join the 28-member NATO bloc.
It received a boost last month when the United States came out in favour of supporting Montenegro's accession.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Monday said he was encouraged by recent reforms in Montenegro and saw "growing support" for inviting the tiny Balkan nation to join the Western military alliance.
A formal decision on Montenegro's membership bid is to be made at a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in early December.
"I will not prejudge the decision... but I sense some kind of growing support for inviting Montenegro," Stoltenberg said at a gathering of lawmakers from NATO member states in Norway's southwestern town of Stavanger.
"Montenegro is really making progress both when it comes to the rule of law, when it comes to establishing an independent judiciary but also when it comes to modernising its armed forces, its intelligence services," he said.
"I am actually encouraged by the progress I've seen."
Stoltenberg is due to visit the Montenegro capital Podgorica later this week.
After breaking away from a loose alliance with Serbia in 2006, the Adriatic nation of around 630,000 people announced its desire to join the 28-member NATO bloc.
It received a boost last month when the United States came out in favour of supporting Montenegro's accession.
No comments:
Post a Comment