Accession of Montenegro to NATO

Current NATO members

Montenegro

Logo of Accession of Montenegro to NATO.

Montenegro

This article is part of the series: Politics and government of Montenegro

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The accession of Montenegro to NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) is in the negotiations stage as of 2010. In December 2009, Montenegro was granted a Membership Action Plan, the final step in an application for membership in the organization.^[1] The country is expected to complete the accession process and join NATO in 2012.^[2]

Background

The State Union of Serbia and Montenegro applied to NATO's Partnership for Peace (PfP) program in June 2003.^[3] Montenegro declared independence on June 3, 2006 and soon after opened a Permanent Mission to NATO in Brussels.^[4] The new country subsequently joined PfP at the 2006 Riga summit. In November 2007, Montenegro signed a transit agreement with NATO, allowing the alliance's troops to move across the country.^[5] Montenegro then signed an agreement with the United States, in which Montenegro would destroy its outdated weaponry as a precondition for NATO membership.^[6] In late 2007, Montenegro's Defense Minister Boro Vučinić said that Montenegro would intensify its accession to the alliance after the 2008 Bucharest summit.^[7] Montenegro adopted an Individual Partnership Action Plan in June 2008 and was invited to join the Adriatic Charter of NATO aspirants on September 25, 2008.^[8][9]

Montenegro has begun to contribute its national armed forces to NATO foreign military operations. The country plans to deploy 40 soldiers, a three member military medical team, and two officers under German command to Afghanistan in 2010. Montenegrin peacekeepers will also be deployed to Liberia and Somalia.^[10]

Montenegro has received support for its membership bid from several NATO countries, including Romania, Turkey and the United States.^[11][12][13] Within Montenegro, 40% of Montenegrins are in support of NATO membership while 44% are opposed according to a January 2010 poll.^[14]

Political views

The ruling Democratic Party of Socialists of Montenegro and Socialdemocratic Party of Montenegro maintain a strong desire for Montenegro to become NATO member state. In early 2009 they launched a two-year campaign with the aim of promoting accession to NATO, which is handled by the MAPA media agency under theatrical director Radmila Vojvodić.^[15] The ruling coalition of PM Milo Đukanović claims Montenegro cannot afford to remain neutral and identifies NATO and the EU as a common process of Euro-Atlantic integrations.^[16] According to a demographic breakdown of polling, citizens of pro-Serbian or pro-Russian political orientation, Eastern Orthodox Christian conservatives, women and the undereducated are the main groups that do not support NATO membership. The campaign has been somewhat successful, but received criticism from the Nansen Dialogue Centre for significant financial investment in a biased and propagandist campaign during a recession.^[17] As a direct response, the establishment of the Serb National List group launched the "No to NATO!" campaign, on a much smaller scale.^[18]

The leading opposition political party, the Socialist People's Party of Montenegro, has remained ambiguous on the question of NATO membership. Although strong supporters of European integration, they maintain that EU and NATO integrations are completely separate paths and endorse holding a referendum. SNP CG has generally avoided giving a direct answer, but it is indirectly opposed to NATO membership.^{[citation needed]} The New Serb Democracy is an outspoken opponent of NATO membership, supporting a referendum and convinced there would be a negative outcome.^[19] The Movement for Changes is completely neutral and supports holding a referendum, and acknowledging its result.^[20] According to Strategic Marketing's poll on the question as to whether to schedule a referendum, 72% of respondents support holding it. CATI's poll from 11-15 December 2009 on the question of its result yielded the following: 44% would vote against it, 40% would vote in favor, while 8% is unsure.

Negotiation progress

See also

• Foreign relations of Montenegro
• Accession of Montenegro to the European Union

References

External links

• NATO - Montenegro
• NATO's relations with Montenegro

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