Montenegro

Montenegro becomes 192nd member of UN

28 June 2006 – Lauding the non-violent and democratic process that gained Montenegro its independence from Serbia only five weeks ago, Secretary-General Kofi Annan today welcomed the United Nations’ 192nd Member, as its flag was raised at the world organization’s Headquarters in New York.

The Republic of Montenegro was admitted by a General Assembly resolution adopted by acclamation, upon recommendation by the Security Council.

In the first statement to the Assembly, Filip Vujanović, President of Montenegro, said that, by becoming a United Nations Member State, his country had assumed a challenge and responsibility to actively support international peacebuilding, peacekeeping, conflict resolution and humanitarian efforts.  He added that Montenegro attached special importance to good neighbourly relations, and particularly wanted to further develop close cooperation with Serbia.

Welcoming President Vujanović to the General Assembly, Slavko Kruljević of Serbia said he was pleased to see a country, with which Serbia had friendly and close ties, becoming a member of United Nations.  Serbia would seek friendly bilateral relations with Montenegro, he said, having spent a century with it as a common State.

Introducing the draft resolution on the admission of Montenegro to the United Nations, Gerhard Pfanzelter of Austria commended the peaceful and democratic way in which Montenegro had gained its independence, saying it was a sign of political maturity.  Speaking on behalf of the European Union, he said that Montenegro was an independent State with full legal personality under international law, and one which the European Union would consider its “steadfast partner”.

Statements of welcome were also made by representatives of Zimbabwe (on behalf of the African States), Turkey (on behalf of the Asian States), Albania (on behalf of the Eastern European States), Cuba (on behalf of the Latin American and Caribbean States), Ireland (on behalf of the Western European and other States) and the United States as host country.

General Assembly President Jan Eliasson said he looked forward to working with Montenegro to meet the “multitude of global challenges that lie ahead”.

After the speeches, diplomats and Secretary-General Kofi Annan walked outside and watched Montenegro's flag being raised alongside the flags of the other 191 U.N. member states.

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