Montenegro is committed to strengthening bilateral ties, and intensified contacts with Saudi Arabia are confirmation of interest in improving cooperation, said the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Filip Ivanovic.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MVP) recalled that Ivanovic was on an official visit to Saudi Arabia, at the invitation of the head of diplomacy of that country, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud.
Ivanovic introduced his Saudi colleague to the foreign policy priorities of the current Government and the main goal - membership in the European Union (EU).
He said that Montenegro is committed to strengthening bilateral ties and that, in this sense, intensified contacts with Saudi Arabia are a confirmation of interest in improving cooperation, primarily in the fields of tourism, energy, investments and culture.
"I am glad that with this visit we are confirming our commitment to strengthening the political dialogue and overall relations, as well as intensifying the cooperation of the two ministries of foreign affairs, as carriers and coordinators of further interstate cooperation," Ivanović said.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that cooperation in multilateral frameworks was discussed during the visit, and Ivanovic reminded of Montenegro's candidacy for a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for 2026-2027.
Al Saud said that they are interested in further strengthening bilateral cooperation, especially in the field of economy.
"He assessed that the business community plays a particularly important role in that context, as a key factor in connecting and strengthening relations between countries, but also in establishing ties between two peoples," the statement said.
Al Saud thanked Montenegro for its support to Riyadh as the host of the Expo in 2030, emphasizing that this is another framework in which the two countries will achieve closer cooperation in the coming period.
"It was agreed to intensify contacts in the direction of strengthening the contractual basis as a precondition for further development of cooperation, primarily between the two ministries of foreign affairs, but also in other areas, such as the Memorandum on cooperation in the field of tourism, signed in July last year," the statement said.
It is stated that during the meeting there was also talk about the resident representation of Montenegro in Saudi Arabia, bearing in mind that the opening of the embassy in Riyadh is part of the medium-term expansion plan of the Montenegrin diplomatic-consular network.
It is stated that the Saudi side is ready to provide the necessary support.
Ivanovic and Al Saud also discussed current regional situations and conflicts on the global level, with a special focus on the Middle East.
"They assessed that finding a solution to end conflicts and establish permanent peace is a priority for all partners and the international community, and that in that process, every voice that contributes to de-escalation is important," the announcement states.
The MFA concluded that Ivanovic's visit to Saudi Arabia is the first high-level outgoing visit since 2010 and that it represents an important step for the further development of overall interstate relations.
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