NATO's door is open, Montenegrin PM told

NATO's door is open, Montenegrin PM told

BRUSSELS -- NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has said that the door of the Alliance remains open for Montenegro.

He made the comment after meeting with Montenegrin Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic on Wednesday.

In addition, Stoltenberg said that Montenegro should intensify reforms, "especially in the area of the ??rule of law."

"Our doors are open," Stoltenberg told reporters at a joint press conference in Brussels.

He praised Montenegro for the reforms undertaken so far, noting that "real progress" has been achieved.

Stoltenberg pointed to areas where more work is needed - the rule of law, "the weak public support for Montenegro's membership in NATO," and the reform of the intelligence apparatus.

However, he did not give "a concrete assessment" of whether Montenegro will be invited to join the western military alliance by the end of the year - something that Podgorica expects to happen.

Djukanovic said that he informed Stoltenberg about his country's efforts so far to meet the requirements for membership and that he was "optimistic that the invitation will arrive in the coming months."

"Membership in NATO is another name for stability, and therefore it is important for the whole region of the Western Balkans, which still faces security challenges," he said.