Washington's special envoy for the Western Balkans, Matthew Palmer, said in Podgorica on Monday that the US will focus on the region again and that its Euro-Atlantic integration is in the interest of both the region and Europe.
Palmer arrived in Montenegrin capital where he met with Prime Minister Dusko Markovic.
He assessed that Montenegro is a leader and the most successful multi-ethnic country in the region, stressing that it was not a coincidence this was his first visit after assuming office, according to the statement issued by the Government of Montenegro.
The US State Secretary recently appointed Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, Matthew Palmer, as Special Representative for the Western Balkans.
“In this role, Palmer will lead our efforts to strengthen U.S. diplomatic engagement in support of peace, stability, and prosperity in the region and focus on the integration of the Western Balkan countries into Western institutions,” said a US State Department Press Release.
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The US diplomat and Montenegrin senior official agreed that the process of European and Euro-Atlantic integration of the Western Balkans is in the interest of both the region and Europe and that the European Union enlargement policy should be viewed as Europe's strategic policy.
“That means that the enlargement process must be alive. That is the interest of both the EU and the countries of our region,” said Markovic.
Palmer informed the Montenegrin PM about the priorities of his mission, which include the support to the opening of the accession talks for Skopje and Tirana, resuming the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, and seeking a solution for the functionality of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
