VISIT OF JOINT FORCES COMMANDER HIGHLIGHTS MONTENEGRO'S FIRM

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PODGORICA 000244

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SIPDIS

STATE FOR EUR/SCE AND EUR/RPM

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TAGS: PREL MARR MW
SUBJECT: VISIT OF JOINT FORCES COMMANDER HIGHLIGHTS MONTENEGRO'S FIRM
COMMITMENT TO JOINING NATO

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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

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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

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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.




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Roundtable Encourages Positive Debate on NATO

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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