First Presidential Visit from Montenegro to Turkey
02.03.2011
President Filip Vujanovic is paying an official visit to Turkey.. President Gül, underlining the good relations between Turkey and Montenegro even before the latter was an independent state, declared President Vujanovic’s visit to be the first official one from Montenegro to Turkey in 112 years, referring to the King of Montenegro’s visit 112 years ago. Right after Montenegro proclaimed its independence, the President noted, Turkey recognized it as such and since then, the bilateral relations in all areas between the two countries have gradually developed, he said. President Gül further accentuated the importance of the relations between Turkey and the Balkan countries.
TURKEY’S CORROBORATION FOR MONTENEGRIN NATO MEMBERSHIP
The President lauded Montenegro for its important steps such as moving to NATO MAP status, resolutely progressing on the path toward the membership of the organization. “Turkey supports and will continue to corroborate Montenegro’s membership of NATO. Its EU membership is equally important. I would like to congratulate Montenegro on its being declared a candidate country of the EU and I hope it will soon complete this process successfully. Turkey wishes to see all the Balkan countries in the European Atlantic institutions and under the roofs of NATO and the EU, for these organizations are of great significance to establish peace and stability. Therefore, Turkey supports the Balkans countries in this regard.”
TURKISH-MONTENEGRIN RELATIONS
Turkey, President Gül maintains, also attaches great importance to its economic relations with Montenegro, reiterating that they always urges mutual investments. The President further mentioned the public dimension of the staunch historical and cultural bonds, referring to the many families emigrating to Turkey during the 19th century.
The Muslims living in Montenegro and their relatives who emigrated to Anatolia during the 19th century serve as a bridge that consolidates the neighborliness and fraternity between the two countries, he noted. The President said they had tackled the bilateral relations, stability and security of the Balkans
as well as the security and the territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina in detail, adding: “We both care about these very issues. We as two Balkan countries will continue to be in close solidarity and consultation regarding the Balkans.”
As for President Filip Vujanovic, he evinced his happiness to be visiting Turkey as Montenegrin President for the first time and pointed to President Gül’s meritorious contributions to the development of the bilateral relations between Turkey and Montenegro and to the region as well. President Vujanovic’s visit has a particular importance in that this is the first presidential visit from Montenegro to Turkey since the former gained her independence in 2006. This visit is also a return visit for which President Gül paid to Montenegro in December 2009.
PEACE AND PROSPERITY OF THE BALKANS
President Gül further shared Turkey’s wish that all the countries and nations in the Balkans live in peace, stability and prosperity and that they all make joint efforts to build a common future. He also evinced his pleasure to welcome President Vujanovic to Turkey at a time when he is conducting the term chairmanship of such regional organizations as the South East European Countries Cooperation Process (SEECP) and the Adriatic Ionian Initiative. He then commended Montenegro’s progress toward its integration with the European Atlantic institutions, proclaiming Turkey’s corroboration for Montenegro in this regard. Reiterating Turkey’s wish to strengthen its fraternity and cooperation with Montenegro in all areas, thus turning the bilateral relations into a steadfast partnership, President Gül pointed to the significance of the implementation of the mutual political will to develop the economic and investment relations between the two countries through many cooperation projects. The President further revealed his pleasure to have heard that President Vujanovic will be attending the Eurasia Economic Summit to be held by the Marmara Group Foundation from April 13-15 in Istanbul, which he predicted will expedite the current economic and commercial dimension of the bilateral relations between Turkey and Montenegro.
http://www.tccb.gov.tr/news/397/7907...to-turkey.html
http://www.tccb.gov.tr/news/397/7908...ontenegro.html