Rron
06-01-2012, 11:45 PM
Four years after it recognized Kosovo's independence Montenegro is to open its embassy in Pristina, in a move that is likely to annoy Serbia.
“With this decision, the government confirms that good neighbourly relations and development of regional cooperation are its long-term goals,” the government said on Thursday.
Montenegro recognized Kosovo's independence in October 2008 and two years later, the two neighbouring countries established diplomatic relations.
The opening of the embassy in Pristina will create conditions for further cooperation in all fields, the government in Podgorica said.
Zoran Stojiljkovic, from the University of Belgrade, said the decision might cause a new cooling of relations between Montenegro and Serbia, which has vowed never to recognise the independence of its former province.
“If you wanted to choose a moment when the other side cannot react, even though they felt damaged by what you did, then this is the right moment," he said of the decision, referring to the fact that a new government has yet to be formed in Serbia after the recent general election.
After Montenegro first recognized Kosovo, relations between Belgrade and Podgorica sank to their lowest level in recent history.
Anka Vojvodic, the then Montenegrin ambassador to Serbia, was declared an “undesirable person”. A new ambassador, Igor Jovovic, was not appointed for almost a year after Vojvodic's departure from Belgrade.
http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/montenegro-to-open-embassy-in-kosovo
“With this decision, the government confirms that good neighbourly relations and development of regional cooperation are its long-term goals,” the government said on Thursday.
Montenegro recognized Kosovo's independence in October 2008 and two years later, the two neighbouring countries established diplomatic relations.
The opening of the embassy in Pristina will create conditions for further cooperation in all fields, the government in Podgorica said.
Zoran Stojiljkovic, from the University of Belgrade, said the decision might cause a new cooling of relations between Montenegro and Serbia, which has vowed never to recognise the independence of its former province.
“If you wanted to choose a moment when the other side cannot react, even though they felt damaged by what you did, then this is the right moment," he said of the decision, referring to the fact that a new government has yet to be formed in Serbia after the recent general election.
After Montenegro first recognized Kosovo, relations between Belgrade and Podgorica sank to their lowest level in recent history.
Anka Vojvodic, the then Montenegrin ambassador to Serbia, was declared an “undesirable person”. A new ambassador, Igor Jovovic, was not appointed for almost a year after Vojvodic's departure from Belgrade.
http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/montenegro-to-open-embassy-in-kosovo