Speaking after talks with her Montenegrin counterpart Igor Luksic, Pusic said Podgorica's progress in Euro-Atlantic integration was in "Croatia's direct interest." She reiterated that by joining the EU, "Croatia isn't moving anywhere but stays where it is", so the region remained its interest and responsibility.
Luksic thanked Croatia for its support in the EU and NATO integration processes, underlining the importance of Croatia's upcoming EU accession and the fact that Montenegro is the only country in the region negotiating EU membership. The negotiations began last June.
"That increases the responsibility of our countries," he said, adding that it was important that "our good relations have a positive impact on the region."
"Montenegro is ready for NATO membership and this job needs to be completed... It contributes to the stability of the region and we said so at the NATO summit in Chicago," said Pusic, adding that she gave Luksic a document on NATO's acquis translated into Croatian.
Luksic said the two countries had excellent cooperation in defence and that Croatia had done a lot for Montenegro while it chaired the US-Adriatic Charter. He announced that Montenegrin soldiers would be part of the Croatian contingent in Afghanistan.
Regarding the Prevlaka peninsula and the possibility of outstanding border issues impacting Montenegro's EU membership, the two ministers said this issue "doesn't burden our relations" but that it would be good to solve it bilaterally.
Pusic said the transitional border regime agreement functioned without difficulty and that if the issue could not be solved bilaterally, it was always possible to go to an international court. She added that the transitional agreement did not prejudge a final solution to the border issue.
Luksic said this issue could not "complicate the two countries' relations," while Pusic reiterated that "it's not in Croatia's interest to stop Montenegro on the road to the EU."
After the talks, the two ministers signed agreements on cooperation in the economy and tourism.
Pusic told the press she expected the European Commission's final monitoring report on Croatia, to be released on March 21, to be positive because "Croatia has done an immense job" in meeting its goals.
Pusic said that later today she would speak over the phone with Slovenian State Secretary Tone Kajzer to arrange a meeting on the final text of the agreement to solve the Ljubljanska Banka issue.