MILAN ROĆEN, MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF MONTENEGRO

(Welcome speech at the opening of the Second Montenegrin Summer School for Young Diplomats ''Gavro Vuković'', Berane, 21. July 2009)

Respected President of the Municipality Berane,

Respected Ambassador Avanessov,

Respected participants of the Montenegrin Summer School for Young Diplomats,

Your Excellencies,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I wish to extend to you a cordial greeting. Welcome to Berane, welcome to Montenegro. I have the privilege of opening - in this temple of Montenegrin diplomacy, home of its establisher duke Gavro Vuković, long- term minister of foreign affairs of the Principality of Montenegro - the Second Montenegrin School for Young Diplomats that carries his name, for the young diplomats from the region and EU countries. The School is organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the new young Montenegrin state, in respect to this Montenegrin outstanding person. I believe that these are beginnings of a new, long, good tradition and at the same time one more proof of the commitment of modern Montenegro to strengthening the policy of friendly relations and regional cooperation among the countries.

Montenegro, the youngest member of the United Nations, Council of Europe and other international organizations and institutions, in merely more than three years has been recognized as a factor of stability and peace in the region, country of the multiethnic democracy, involved in all regional initiatives, country that made strong progress in European and Euro-Atlantic integrations, promoting its national and country identity at the multilateral plan. It is expected that the European Commissioner Olli Rhen would arrive tomorrow to Montenegro, where he will at the solemn ceremony hand over the European Commission Questionnaire to the Prime Minister Milo Đukanović. This will be the most challenging test up to now for the Montenegrin administration. I believe that we will successfully pass this test as well, like we passed through the previous initial phases of European integration, and that we will ensure an EU candidate country status through regular procedures. I also believe that, as of January 1st 2010 the citizens of Montenegro will travel without visas to the Schengen countries and that Montenegro will soon get the green light for precession to NATO: the Membership Action Plan (MAP).

Since recently Montenegro is an independent state again, but it is a well known old European country, older than 165 UN member countries. I am sure that Duke Gavro Vuković would also be proud of contemporary Montenegro’ position and its meteoric ascent. His state and diplomatic career is related to the most turbulent period of Montenegrin history, in which Montenegro was constituted as a modern state with an enviable international reputation. Duke Gavro has left a rich legacy in the form of memoir literature which represents a historical testimony to the circumstances in Montenegro in the second half of the 19th century, and its international position and relations on the global level at that time. To him, diplomacy was “a good way to serve the interests of the state’s and people’s sovereignty, almost equally important as armed resistance to the conquerors“. Duke Gavro Vuković was using erudition, political wisdom, balance and tactfulness, typical eloquence of classical diplomats, with a great sense for a usual exterior etiquette, always and exclusively led by the interests of his state and the well being of its citizens. These are indeed the characteristics of true diplomats in all times, and at all meridians. One of his mottos was that “good political relations with other countries should be made even better, and the bad ones request maximal engagement in order to change the situation“. He was a forerunner of modern diplomacy that cannot be imagined without its economic dimension, because he always insisted on the organic connection between the economic and political issues.

Duke Gavro Vuković considered that “especially small nations have to have the best of consideration for the usual rules of behavior in global matters”. This is, among other things, confirmed by the universality of his messages. Luckily, we had someone to learn from in Montenegro. Led by them, today we have set our priorities for foreign affairs, with respect to our capacities and capabilities in the regional and in the wider contexts. The doors are wide open to Montenegro, not only at our neighbors’ but also the doors of the European and all other world’s key countries. Today, Montenegro is recognized as a successful European story in the region, with a role that by its importance exceeds its size and number of citizens.

The Second Montenegrin School for Young Diplomats “Gavro Vuković“ is in the first place a challenge for the diplomats from the region, as it provides a good opportunity for an exchange of opinions and ideas with their colleagues from the EU countries, on the current EU and NATO processes in the enlargement policy context, as well as for the benefit of mutual acquainting and contacts - which is rudimental for every good diplomacy. The focus of this School is on modern tendencies and modalities for development of personal characteristics of a modern diplomat. I hope that our young diplomats will gather every year, socialize, and learn from the reputable lecturers and from each other, in such a pleasant atmosphere, and that they will expand the circle of countries interested in sending their diplomats to this School. Today, here we have the participants from all the countries of the region and a certain number of EU countries.

I expect that the lectures and interactive discussion in the following days will enhance your knowledges and skills and contribute to professional building of your diplomatic capacities. Today, an imperative of each country is to have true representatives of its interests in relation to the outside world, since, as a great Nobel Prize Winner and diplomat Ivo Andrić said: „in that job, which looks as uniformed and tamed as no other job, there is nothing permanent or certain; but a man walks just like through the fog, and the light that occasionally shines is more confusing and deceiving than being the one to show the road or enable the man to find his way“. In a timely manner you have set off on that road, and I am sure that you will manage, for the benefit of your countries and to your personal satisfaction.

I hope that you will find some time to get better familiarized with Montenegro, with the beautiful Berane area and with part of the North of the country which, beside natural reaches and potentials for development, is also well known for its famous hospitality.

I am using this opportunity to extend sincere congratulations on the occasion of the Municipality Day to the Mayor of Berane and its citizens.

At the end, I wish to express my gratitude to our partners from the UNDP and the Municipality of Berane for their contribution to the realization of the project of Montenegrin School for Young Diplomats ’’Gavro Vuković’’, as well as to the lecturers who expressed readiness to share their knowledge and experience with young attendees of this school.

Thank you for your attention!