On day two of his visit to the USA, President of the Parliament of Montenegro Mr Ivan Brajović met Chairman of the U.S. Helsinki Commission Senator Mr Roger Wicker, President and CEO of the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) Mr John J. Hamre and President of the German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF) Ms Karen Donfried. The President of the Parliament also had a meeting in the Heritage Foundation, and he also took part in the activities organised within the 66th National Prayer Breakfast.
All conversations emphasised the importance of U.S. continuous activities on further strengthening of transatlantic ties and cooperation. As for integration processes, President Brajović stressed the importance of stronger affirmation of the “regatta principle" in order to properly stimulate positive examples, as it was the case with Montenegro's accession to NATO.
Senator Wicker, Chairman of the U.S. Helsinki Commission and OSCE PA Vice President, encouraged Montenegro to persist in its reform path particularly in the field of rule of law, while Mr John Hamre, who served as the 26th U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defence, assessed that Montenegro’s membership in NATO was significant in many aspects. The Transatlantic Alliance is once again in the focus of U.S. attention, and it is simultaneously a wakeup call and a call for raising awareness of the need for a stronger U.S. presence in the region.
Ms Karen Donfried, former Director of European affairs in Obama’s administration, said that efforts which Montenegro had made in order to become NATO member were recognised, and that it was in the centre of attention on both sides of the Atlantic.
Vice President pf the Parliament Mr Branimir Gvozdenović, who is also a member of the parliamentary delegation paying a visit Washington, had separate meetings with senators Mr Roy Blunt and Mr Joe Manchin as well as with representatives Mr Mike Doyle, Mr Randy Hultgren and Mr Roger Marshall. Vice President Gvozdenović additionally emphasised the importance of Montenegro’s membership in NATO, not only for our country but for the entire region, especially in the context of the need to weaken the influence of ideas in the Balkans based on opposing the Western values.
