06 December 2018 - Minister of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro Srđan Darmanović participated in a two-day meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Brussels.
On the first day, the NATO foreign ministers adopted the Joint Statement on violations of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty.
They also discussed the most important issues related to Euro-Atlantic security, including the relations with Russia, the safety of the Alliance's southern borders and the implementation of the Framework for the South, as well as the strategic stability and the response to security challenges.
A special session was held with the foreign ministers of Georgia and Ukraine to discuss the security situation in the region, as well as possible forms of support and cooperation of the Alliance in the reform processes and strengthening of defence capacities.
On the second day of the meeting, a session on the Western Balkans was held in the light of recent developments in the region, as well as a discussion on the Euro-Atlantic perspective in line with the conclusions of the July NATO Summit.
Minister Darmanović emphasised the importance that Montenegro, as a Mediterranean state and ally, attaches to the stability of the southern partners and opposes the challenges from the south. Regarding the open door policy, he stressed Montenegro's full support for the Euro-Atlantic integration of the Western Balkans and the conclusions of the July NATO Summit on Macedonia's accession to NATO. He also highlighted the importance of today's decision on the readiness of the Alliance to accept the Annual National Program (ANP) of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
In this context, he informed about the support of Montenegro to Macedonia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as an openness towards other countries that show readiness. Minister Darmanović reiterated the importance of NATO's visibility and presence in the region and the same understanding of the Allies on the security of the Western Balkans, as well as the importance of maintaining the open door policy on the Alliance's agenda. Minister Darmanovic stressed that Montenegro would continue engaging in Afghanistan.
On the sidelines of the meeting, Minister Darmanović met with Mike Pompeo, Secretary of State of the United States, Jens Stoltenberg, NATO Secretary General, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Hungary Péter Szijjártó, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Germany Heiko Maas, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Croatia Marija Pejčinović Burić, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Slovenia Miro Cerar, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Denmark Anders Samuelsen, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria Ekaterina Zaharieva, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Albania Ditmir Bushati and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Norway Ine Eriksen Søreide.
