WASHINGTON, D.C. – With the support of U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), the Senate today voted to approve the resolution of ratification approving Montenegro’s accession to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).  For the past decade, the Maine National Guard has partnered with Montenegro to advise and assist the young nation following its December 2006 declaration of independence as it transformed its military and improved its disaster preparedness and response.

After the vote, Senator King submitted the following statement to the Congressional Record applauding the Maine National Guard’s work:

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“Mr. President, today I wish to recognize the Senate’s historic vote to ratify Treaty 114-12, Protocol to the North Atlantic Treaty of 1949 on the Accession of Montenegro. This represents an important step forward in Montenegro’s bid to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

“Maine has strong ties to Montenegro through the National Guard’s State Partnership Program, which pairs state National Guards with partner nations around the world. Both parties forge an enduring relationship over the years through training exercises, military-to-military engagement, and security cooperation activities. These relationships are critical to our national security; they improve the capacity of friendly militaries, enhance our interoperability as allies, and allow us to promote our values in emerging nations. Furthermore, they provide members of the Guard with unique opportunities that make them more skilled military professionals and more experienced citizens.

“The Maine National Guard partnered with Montenegro in December 2006, just six months after Montenegro declared its independence. In the decade since, the Maine National Guard has advised and assisted Montenegro as the young nation has transformed its military, transitioning to an all-volunteer force and contributing troops to the coalition fighting in Afghanistan. This relationship has expanded beyond the military dimension: the Maine Marine Patrol has trained with the Montenegrin marine police and Mainers have worked with numerous Montenegrin governmental agencies to improve their disaster preparedness and response. Through numerous joint exercises each year in both Maine and Montenegro, Mainers have developed close, lasting relationships with their Montenegrin counterparts.

“Montenegro joined the State Partnership Program expressly as a means of achieving their desired accession to NATO. The Senate’s ratification of Montenegro’s membership bid reflects the hard work and enormous growth that Montenegro has achieved in the last 10 years. Mainers should be proud of the support and training that they’ve offered during this time. Maine stands beside Montenegro as it takes a major step toward NATO membership, pleased to continue our partnership in the future.”

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