Roderick Moore, the U.S. Ambassador in Podgorica yesterday called on Montenegro to recognize Kosovo’s unilateral independence. Moore stated that he expected Podgorica to bear in mind the fact that the vast majority of EU and NATO member states had recognized Kosovo’s unilateral independence declaration when taking its own decision on recognition.

Moore told that Montenegro was in a delicate position, but that he hoped that Montenegro “like all the other countries in the region, where recognition of Kosovo’s independence is concerned, will bring its position into line with its Euro-Atlantic partners.”

He said, “It is a fact that 70 percent of EU members have already recognized Kosovo, as well as three-quarters of NATO member-states, so we hope that, in the end, Montenegro will also take that into consideration when it makes its decision.” He said the “U.S. won’t exert influence on Montenegro” because it understood how difficult the matter was for them. He also said that he expected the U.S. embassy in Podgorica to start issuing visas to Montenegrin citizens soon, but that before that other conditions had to be met.