Speech by Minister of Foreign Affairs H.E. Mr. Miodrag Vlahovic

Published date: 09.05.2006 16:49 | Author: Diplomatska akademija

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Distinguished professors,
Distinguished members of the diplomatic corps,
Dear guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is a great pleasure to have a chance to address you on the occasion of the successful conclusion of the third cycle of lectures on the Diplomatic Academy Gavro Vukovic.

I am happy to see, which is, I am convinced, an opinion shared by Montenegrin and foreign professor and diplomats that lectured and organized the work of the Academy, that we are on the right track and that the Diplomatic Academy absolutely confirmed the need for its foundation and strengthened the reasons due to which it was established.

I do not wish to remind right now of numerous dilemmas and impediments that burdened the idea that Montenegro indeed needs a diplomatic academy. That period is behind us. The Academy is better organized as years go by, the list of domestic lecturers, but foreign lecturers as well is expanding, and the curriculum is getting wider that is the best and the most effective way to oppose all negations and dilemmas that followed this, I am free to say, without any exaggeration, a pioneer and visionary project.

I strongly believe that we are on a good path to build a respectable institution that will assist our state and its diplomacy to rebuild and further develop on principles of modern and efficient professional service that will fully meet the needs of the Montenegrin society and state in years ahead of us.

I would like to take this opportunity and reiterate that the Diplomatic Academy Gavro Vukovic promotes and affirms in a best way two very important values that is, two basic principles on which we wish to develop modern Montenegro: on one side, the determination to build and develop our own institutions and capacities, and on the other side, openness and readiness to cooperate with similar institution in our neighborhood and beyond.

Through its program and goal, but also through its lecturers, the Academy sublimates, in a very particular way, those values and qualities on which democratic and modern Montenegro wishes to base its development and in which it recognizes its European perspective.

For all these reasons, I take this opportunity to reiterate once again the permanent determination of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro, in partnership with the Law Faculty, to continue our joint project and improve the work of the Diplomatic Academy, to which we wish many more years and many more generations of successful and educated students. That will be our best contribution to the renewal of Montenegrin diplomacy and the best continuation of the efforts symbolized by our respectable and cherished predecessors in Montenegrin diplomacy but in Montenegrin law science as well.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Montenegro today is at the very end of a difficult and complex road that took many decades. From a position of a country that was deprived of its statehood and its name, through many generations of its hard-working patriots, Montenegro is returning to the political map of the Europe and the world. A historical circle is about to close.

New, that is, renewed status of independent and internationally recognized state of Montenegro will be the reflection of its strive and legitimate interest of a authentic society (which has, we must not forget or neglect, in the most difficult times of war crises in the area of former Yugoslavia succeeded in preserving its multiethnic and multi-religious character), to build relations with other states and its position in the international community on needs and projections of its own citizens.

We are convinced that the referendum on state-legal status of Montenegro would confirm the superiority of the projection that sees Montenegro as political, economic and cultural subject of integration, not as someone elses extension, territory or province which would be integrated by others, in accordance with someone elses priorities and in dynamics that would be determined by circumstances and problems that are not characteristic of Montenegro, that is, not taking into account the genuine needs and interests of Montenegro and all its citizens.

The referendum decision, confirming the dominant determination of the citizens of Montenegro to have their own state, will also reaffirm our interest and need to independently manage our obligations in the process of European and Euro-Atlantic integration.

As you well know, Montenegro is not responsible for serious delay in both levels of integration processes. That is not new, and it does not last for several days, when another deadline was missed and another promise was broken by the official Serbia, which led to suspension of negotiations on Stabilization and Association Agreement.

This is a long process, that is, a long delay and a situation which, without exaggeration, could be called a loss of historical time where Montenegro is put in extremely problematic and degrading position to suffer the hard consequences of setback and marginalization in a Regional and wider European context due to incompetence and unwillingness of others to fully cooperate with the international community. The negative repercussions are visible and undeniable in the context of negotiations on Stabilization and Association Agreement, but even more in the context of possibility of our membership in Partnership for Peace and consequently, our chances to be a member of NATO in foreseeable time frame.

Regardless of this, Montenegro has several times, in a written form and in direct diplomatic communication told our European partners that it does not wish the delay or suspension of negotiations on Stabilization and Association Agreement. We have also made clear that Montenegro would welcome the extradition of those who should have been in the Hague Tribunal for six years already.

I would like to take this opportunity and emphasize this fact, particularly because the extradition of Ratko Mladic is an object of many speculations, some of which go in the direction of Montenegrin referendum, in sense that Montenegro, as a state which fulfilled its obligation towards the Tribunal and which, what is even more important, considers the conviction of war crimes to be the basis of its future and prerequisite of its free and friendly communication with all neighbors, strongly desires to see as soon as possible the fulfillment of this unfinished task, this historical obligation, which is before Serbian Government and those political circles and services who make that decision. Therefore, if this happens before May 21 and Montenegrin referendum, we will welcome it. We will do the same if this necessary business is finished after the vote of Montenegrin citizens on Montenegrin state.

The reason I say this is simple, and I wish to reaffirm it on this occasion as well: Montenegro has more permanent and important historical, political, economic and cultural reasons and motivations to be independent and international recognized state then whether, when and how Serbia cooperates with the Hague Tribunal.

Every projection and political effort that would count on the extradition of Serb general accused of monstrous war crimes and crimes against humanity to lessen the aspiration and chances of Montenegro to be independent would prove that they do not understand neither Montenegro nor its desire and determination to be independent, and even worse, they would confirm the tragic fact that the obligation to deliver Mladic is seen as a form of tradeoff, not as crucial obligation towards their own citizens and their interests.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

With its proposal to apply the rule in Montenegrin referendum that was not applied or codified before, and which Montenegro accepted in its Parliament, the European Union confirmed itself as an address to which Montenegro, as new/renewed state will first refer to after the completion of the referendum process.

There are two reasons for this: first is our desire that the first international recognition of our state comes from that address, from Brussels, in the name of all 25 member states. The process we are about to finish in sense of adopted rules, but even more, in sense of the ways we applied them, makes such expectation logical and reasonable.

Second reason is our desire to continue as soon as possible, hopefully shortly interrupted negotiations on Stabilization and Association Agreement. European Commission should gain new mandate, this time for negotiations with the Republic of Montenegro. Our present activities and achievement made in negotiations in part concerning the obligations of Montenegro are the best token of such decision.

Encouraged by the news from Brussels, but from many other EU member states as well, which confirmed that our expectations with regards to the communication and cooperation with the European Union represent a realistic projection, we remain fully committed to the basic principle and the most important rule: that both these messages should be sent by citizens of Montenegro themselves, though their free choice and democratic decision on renewal of full independence of Montenegro.

We are certain that their sovereign decision would be understood and supported by all our neighbors, which is of crucial importance, but also from all countries of the Region in which we live and with whom we wish to build European future. However, we also expect positive attitude and support of the entire international community to which we would, after many years, return as an independent state.

Thank you.