Kosovo–Montenegro relations

Kosovan–Montenegrin relations

Kosovo	Montenegro

Kosovan–Montenegrin relations are foreign relations between the Republic of Kosovo^[a] and Montenegro. Kosovo declared its independence from Serbia on 17 February 2008 and Montenegro recognised it on 9 October 2008.^[1]

Before the recognition, on 24 June, Prime Minister Milo Đukanović said:

"Many important member states of the EU and the international community as a whole have already recognised Kosovo so I do not believe that any serious person would like the wheel of history to go back. We are acting rather cautiously for two reasons. The first is that we are a neighbour of both Kosovo and Serbia, so we should help rather than feed fuel to the fire by making rush moves. The second is that we have been independent for only two years now and we have achieved this independence by leaving the Union with Serbia. Our independence has left some traumas on the Serbia-Montenegro relationship."^[2]

Three days later an official with the governing DPS party said that recognising Kosovo "is not currently on the agenda of national priorities."^[3] On 7 July 2008 Montenegrin Minister of Foreign Affairs told Podgorica media that his government will recognise Kosovo’s independence. He did not, however, say when the government would make such an announcement. When he asked whether it will be sooner or later he responded with "Neither I nor anyone else can say at this moment. It shall happen as soon as we conclude that it is politically best for Montenegro."^[4] However, on 15 July, in an interview with a Russian radio station, Prime Minister Đukanović said that his nation has not yet taken a position on recognition, adding that this "restraint" was caused by the need to contribute, as a neighbor, to stability in the region and improve relations with Serbia.^[5]

Montenegro has 78.6 km-long border with Kosovo. It was the 49th state to recognise Kosovo's independence.

On 2 December 2009, Montenegrin Deputy Prime Minister Svetozar Marovic said that there are no obstacles for Montenegro to establish diplomatic relations with Kosovo. He also said that Montenegro has about 10,000 displaced people from Kosovo, a thousand of whom would like to return to their hometowns and it is up to the governments of Kosovo and Montenegro to resolve it.^[6]

On 15 January 2010, Montenegro and Kosovo officially established diplomatic relations.^[7]

Numerous motions have come from Kosovo and elsewhere for an exchange of embassies to formally show the mutual declarative establishment of diplomatic links, however President Filip Vujanović has continually rejected that possibility, stating the status of the Montenegrin minority in Kosovo and the return of expelled non-Albanian refugees as a precondition, ever since the recognition in 2008.^[8]

See also

• Foreign relations of Kosovo
• Foreign relations of Montenegro

Notes and references

Notes:

a.	^ Kosovo is the subject of a territorial dispute between the Republic of Serbia and the self-proclaimed Republic of Kosovo. The latter declared independence on 17 February 2008, while Serbia claims it as part of its own sovereign territory. Its independence is recognised by 85 UN member states.

References:

1. ^ "Montenegro recognizes Kosovo's independence". International Herald Tribune. 2008-10-09. http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/10/09/europe/EU-Montenegro-Kosovo-Serbia.php. Retrieved 2008-10-09. 
2. ^ "Montenegro PM Milo Djukanovic hopeful of a European Union future" europarl.europa.eu 24 June 2008 Link accessed 25/06/08
3. ^ "Kosovo not on Montenegrin agenda". B92. 2008-06-27. http://www.b92.net/eng/news/region-article.php?yyyy=2008&mm=06&dd=27&nav_id=51433. Retrieved 2008-06-27. 
4. ^ " Rocen: Montenegro will recognise Kosovo… but who knows when?" themontenegrotimes.com 7 July 2008 07/07/08
5. ^ "Montenegro to decide on Kosovo alone". B92. 2008-07-15. http://www.b92.net/eng/news/region-article.php?yyyy=2008&mm=07&dd=15&nav_id=51916. Retrieved 2008-07-15. 
6. ^ "Montenegro, Kosovo to Establish Diplomatic Links" [[Balkan Insight|balkaninsight.com 02-12-09 Link accessed 03-12-09
7. ^ "Montenegro, Kosovo in diplomatic ties". B92. 2010-01-15. http://www.b92.net/eng/news/region-article.php?yyyy=2010&mm=01&dd=15&nav_id=64500. Retrieved 2010-01-15. 
8. ^ Vujanović: Ohrabruje inicijativa Prištine

External links

• Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro on relations with Kosovo