Montenegrin Referendum: Invitations to U.S.

UNCLAS BELGRADE 000478

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL MW SR
SUBJECT: Montenegrin Referendum: Invitations to U.S.
Congress to Observe Vote


1. Please pass the following message from President of
Parliament of the Republic of Montenegro to President of
the United States Senate Richard Cheney and Speaker of the
United States House of Representatives Dennis Hastert.
Originals will follow via diplomatic pouch.


2. BEGIN TEXT:

Dear Sir:

I would like to take this opportunity and greet you most
warmly, expressing pleasure with the contacts and
cooperation Montenegro has with the United States of
America and U.S. Senate to this date.

I would especially like to express satisfaction with the
meeting and talks we had on the occasion of Summer Session
of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly held in Washington, D.C.
in July 2005.

As you may know, Montenegro is in the final phase of
preparations to hold a referendum on independence, and it
is our strong interest to have a wide international
monitoring of this process. With reference to this, I would
like to inform you of the recent developments related to
the referendum issue.

Namely, with the facilitation of H.E. Ambassador Mr.
Miroslav Lajcak, Personal Representative of the EU High
Commissioner for Foreign and Security Policy Mr. Javier
Solana, the ruling coalition and the opposition parties
agreed on terms for holding the referendum in Montenegro.

Following the proposal of H.E. Mr. Filip Vujanovic,
President of Montenegro, Parliament of Montenegro, on its
session held on March 2, 2006, scheduled the referendum on
May 21, 2006 with unanimous vote. Montenegrin Parliament
also adopted a new Law on Referendum, as agreed between the
ruling and the opposition parties in talks facilitated by
the EU.

I would also like to inform you that we have sent official
invitations for monitoring of the referendum to European
Parliament, Parliamentary Assembly of the organization for
Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE),Parliamentary
Assembly of Council of Europe, and we are pleased that they
have already accepted our invitations to send observers to
Montenegro on the referendum day.

I take this opportunity to express once again our strong
commitment to further improve communication and cooperation
at all levels with the USA, and to reiterate our readiness
to conduct the referendum in accordance with the best
international standards, in transparent and democratic
manner, with credible results.

To this end, I have the honor to officially invite the USA
Senate/US House of Representatives to send an observation
mission to Montenegro and take active part and be fully
involved in monitoring of the referendum process, to make
sure it is conducted in accordance with best international
practice and rules.

We are looking forward to the participation of US
representatives in this process which, we are convinced,
would be of utmost help and importance for its democratic
and would further contribute to strengthening and deepening
our excellent cooperation and relations.

Please accept the assurances of my highest consideration.

Sincerely,
Ranko Krivokapic
END TEXT.

POLT