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PP RUEHAST RUEHBW RUEHFL RUEHLA RUEHMRE RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR
DE RUEHC #6870 1491521
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P R 281512Z MAY 08
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE PRIORITY 0847
INFO ORG FOR SECURITY CO OP IN EUR COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS STATE 056870 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OSCE PREL PGOV MW
SUBJECT: OSCE/PERMANENT COUNCIL: RESPONSE TO MONTENEGRO 
HEAD OF MISSION PARASCHIVA BADESCU 
 
 
¶1. (U) Post is authorized to present the following statement 
at the May 29, 2008 Permanent Council meeting in Vienna. 
 
Begin text: 
 
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 
 
Welcome back, Ambassador Badescu, and thank you for the 
update.  We add our appreciation for the excellent written 
report you submitted to us last week. 
 
Montenegro remains a good news story for the western Balkans. 
 Since you appeared before us last March, the country has 
adopted a new constitution, signed a Stabilization and 
Association Agreement with the EU, conducted well-regarded 
presidential elections, and entered into Intensified Dialogue 
with NATO, a precursor to membership in the Alliance.  During 
the same period, Montenegro continued to enjoy impressive 
economic growth and continued to make additional 
contributions to regional cooperation and stability. 
 
In our view, Montenegro deserves to be congratulated for such 
important achievements as well as for the solid progress it 
continues to make on its reform agenda. 
 
The country, for example, continues to move forward in 
reforming its armed forces and police.  Your mission has 
played a vital role in both areas by assisting in the 
destruction of surplus small arms, light weapons, and 
ammunition, and through the numerous training and advisory 
activities the Mission carries out to promote police 
accountability and professionalism. 
 
Montenegro also made further progress over the past year in 
improving the rule of law and reforming its judiciary, for 
which the government and the Mission also deserve credit. 
Highlights of the Mission,s work from our perspective were 
the assistance it provided in the development of a National 
Judicial Reform Strategy and the drafting and promotion of 
the new Criminal Procedure Code. 
 
With respect to the Mission,s democratization activities, we 
draw attention to the work it did in preparing and adopting a 
National Strategy on Minorities and the capacity-building 
work it has done to enhance parliamentary capacity and 
oversight of state and local institutions. 
 
All of these programs are impressive examples of what an OSCE 
mission can accomplish when the host government has a will to 
adopt reforms, and to use the OSCE as a tool to help 
transform the country in ways that better meet the needs of 
the population and help fulfill its OSCE commitments. 
 
While most of the news coming out of Montenegro remains 
positive, Ambassador, much remains to be done to address 
challenges, such as corruption and organized crime.  We 
encourage your mission to redouble its efforts to help 
Montenegro take further steps to combat money laundering and 
strengthen surveillance and control over monetary flows into 
the country.  We have every confidence that you and your 
staff can help Montenegro meet these challenges, and we share 
your optimism about the country,s bright future. 
 
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 
RICE