VISIT OF JOINT FORCES COMMANDER HIGHLIGHTS MONTENEGRO'S FIRM

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PODGORICA 000244 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR EUR/SCE AND EUR/RPM E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL MARR MW SUBJECT: VISIT OF JOINT FORCES COMMANDER HIGHLIGHTS MONTENEGRO'S FIRM COMMITMENT TO JOINING NATO PODGORICA 00000244 001.2 OF 002 ¶1. (SBU) Summary: On his first visit to Montenegro, NATO Joint Forces Commander Admiral Fitzgerald highlighted publicly the strong partnership between NATO and Montenegro. The GoM confirmed its commitment to pursuing NATO membership as its top foreign policy objective. The Admiral's visit also stimulated discussion with the GoM, as well as opposition and media representatives, about the currently low public support in Montenegro for membership in the Alliance. GOM officials also made a strong pitch for a NATO office to be opened in Podgorica as soon as possible. End summary. High Level GoM Meetings: NATO is Our Priority -------------- ¶2. (U) Admiral Fitzgerald, Commander of NATO Allied Joint Forces Command in Naples and Commander of US Naval Forces Europe and Africa, visited Montenegro 9-10 September. Admiral Fitzgerald's delegation included senior staff members from Slovenia, Germany, and France. The Admiral met with President Filip Vujanovic, Speaker of Parliament Ranko Krivokapic, Defense Minister Boro Vucinic, and Acting Chief of Staff Vice Admiral Dragan Samardzic. The Admiral also spoke with FM Rocen at a reception hosted by the Ambassador. ¶3. (SBU) Admiral Fitzgerald highlighted the strong security partnership between NATO and Montenegro, adding that this has contributed to safety and security of the Adriatic Sea, maintaining peace and security in the region; and better interoperability of Montenegrin and NATO forces. He thanked the Montenegrin leadership for visible signs of this partnership, including sharing radar pictures of the Adriatic with NATO Command in Naples, destroying Montenegro's obsolete weaponry and ammunition, donating its excess equipment to Afghanistan, and signing a NATO Transit Agreement. ¶4. (SBU) President Vujanovic reaffirmed Montenegro's commitment to Euro-Atlantic integration and stressed that the GoM's most important foreign policy goal now is joining NATO. With a second vote on a law authorizing participation in international peacekeeping missions expected later this month, both the President and Speaker of Parliament expressed hope that at least some opposition parties would support the proposal. The President also added that a successful deployment of Montenegrin military personnel abroad could help solidify public support for Montenegro joining NATO. Conversely, he expressed concern that a failed mission could undercut public support. ¶5. (SBU) DefMin Vucinic made a strong pitch for the opening of a NATO office in Podgorica, recalling that the GOM had sent two requests to NATO to do so. The DefMin argued that a NATO presence in Montenegro would help the GOM navigate the complex NATO accession process, while also facilitating implementation of the Lines of Communication and security of information agreements. A NATO office would also help build public support for NATO, he argued. Essential to Improve Public Support for Membership -------------- -------------- ¶6. (SBU) A major theme in all of the Admiral's meetings was the relatively low public support among the Montenegrin public for joining NATO. (Note: Most GOM interlocutors described the electorate as split three ways -- with one-third supporting NATO, one-third opposed, and one-third undecided.) Speaker Krivokapic explained that it is now up to the Montenegrin political leadership to lead its citizens in the right direction. The Speaker stated that a better knowledge of NATO -- highlighting the benefits to Montenegro as well as the responsibilities that come with membership -- will help to win over the large segment of the population that is undecided. He added that promoting NATO membership as a "practical" condition for EU accession would be equally helpful in swaying public opinion. PODGORICA 00000244 002.2 OF 002 Roundtable Encourages Positive Debate on NATO -------------- - ¶7. (SBU) The Admiral and the Ambassador also held a roundtable discussion with a group of Montenegrins representing pro, con, and neutral views of NATO membership. Those on the "con" side laid out several arguments against membership. One leader from a pro-Serb party said that his party would follow the views of Belgrade and Banja Luka. Another said that she is not philosophically opposed to NATO, but merely believes that now is not the time for Montenegro to seek membership. She claimed that NATO must first reestablish trust with Serbs and, unless that is done, NATO membership would represent a humiliation to the Serb people. The "cons" also argued that joining NATO would be expensive, would make Montenegro a target for terrorism, and would possibly jeopardize relations with Russia. ¶8. (SBU) Nebojsa Medojevic, leader of the opposition party Movement for Change (PzP),asserted that Montenegro cannot meet the main prerequisite for NATO membership because "it currently does not have a democratic government." He generally supported all avenues of Euro-Atlantic integration for Montenegro, but he avoided articulating his party's official stance on Montenegro's membership in NATO. One observer described him as being in favor of NATO, but not willing to support NATO accession because this was the policy of the governing parties, his arch-enemies. ¶9. (SBU) Comment: This was a very successful visit, and the GOM did a good job of emphasizing the importance of NATO membership as a top strategic goal for Montenegro. The Admiral also stressed the Alliance's expectations of Montenegro, noting that "collective security does not come free." Much of the Admiral's dialogue with Montenegrins -- official and private alike -- also pointed to the need for a stronger campaign to build public support for NATO membership. This will likely require Montenegro's leadership to engage the public more vigorously in explaining the why's of NATO membership. End comment. ¶10. (U) Admiral Fitzgerald cleared this message. MOORE