Permanent representatives of Montenegro and Burkina Faso to UN in New York, Ambassadors Milorad Scepanovic and Der Kogda, signed the Protocol on Establishment of Diplomatic Relations at the ambassadorial level between the two countries on 20 December 2011. They agreed that this step laid foundations for further enhancement and intensification of bilateral and multilateral cooperation between the two countries, especially under the UN framework.

Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration Milan Rocen hosted today the Ambassador of Japan, Toshio Tsunozaki, who is in an official visit to Montenegro on the occasion of the implementation of the project for the advancement of the audio-visual equipment in the Montenegrin National Theatre and the opening of the Japanese film festival.

Ambassador Tsunozaki congratulated Montenegro on the progress made with regards to the European integration process as well as the accession to the World Trade Organisation. He thanked Montenegro and its citizens to the condolences and the assistance in neutralising damage caused by natural disasters in Japan and conveyed willingness to further strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries.

Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration Milan Rocen received today the newly appointed Ambassador of the Republic of Poland, Grazina Sikorska.

Minister Rocen has warmly welcomed Ambassador Sikorska, congratulated her appointment to the position and wished her success in future work. He commended the Polish presidency over the EU in very difficult times. He noted that he Polish presidency is of historic importance for Montenegro which got a provisional approval for the opening of accession negotiations and thanked for the fact that the Enlargement Agenda was high on the list of priorities of the Presidency. He also expressed gratitude for the bilateral and regional support to Montenegro's and other Western Balkan countries' European and Euro-Atlantic aspirations provided under the framework of the Visegrad group.

Annual meeting of the Cooperation Programme between the Government of Montenegro and the UNICEF for 2011 will be held at the premises of the Government of Montenegro in Jovana Tomasevica street from 9:30 am to 1 pm. Government and the representatives of other state institutions, as well as the UNICEF and the representatives of civil sector and partner international organisations will attend the meeting. The attendants will discuss achievements of the Cooperation Programme for the period 2010-2011 and the Cooperation Programme for the period 2012-2016.

The introductory part of the meeting will be open to the press. Accreditations for recording the event may be made at 482 790.

Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration Milan Rocen will host on Monday, 19 December 2011, Ambassador of the Republic of Poland Grazina Sikorska (at 9:30am) and Ambassador of Japan Toshio Tsunozaki (at 10:30am).

Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration Milan Rocen will host a traditional New Year's Reception for the Diplomatic Core on Friday 16 December in Villa 'Gorica'. The Reception were also invited to attend the representatives of political and public life, leading foreign companies, media and civil society. The Reception will take place at 1 pm.

State Secretary for Political Affairs Nebojsa Kaludjerovic attended the Fourth Forum of the Alliance of Civilisations which took place in Doha, Quatar, from 11 to 13 December.

Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration Milan Rocen attended today the meeting of the foreign ministers of the of the American-Adriatic Charter (A5) member states in Tirana with which the Albanian semi-annual presidency has over the Charter has ended. The meeting also attended the NATO Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs and Security Policy, James Appathurai.

Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration Milan Rocen received today the Director-General of the European Union's Directorate General for Enlargement, Stefano Sannino who is in an official visit to Montenegro, following the decision of the European Council on the opening of accession negotiations with Montenegro.