Greeting the guests, Montenegrin Ambassador Branko Lutovac said that the opening of the Croatian Embassy in Podgorica and the Montenegrin Embassy in Zagreb had created institutional frameworks for the further development of good neighbourly relations and cooperation.
"The bilateral relations had their ups and downs, particularly in the 1990s owing to other people's land-grabbing ambitions, but the awareness of closeness and interdependency of the two nations has always prevailed," Lutovac said.
Sturanovic said that Montenegro's main goal was to become a member of the European Union, adding that Montenegro and Croatia shared the same democratic values and aspirations to join Euro-Atlantic integration processes.
Since gaining independence last year, Montenegro has initialled a Stabilisation and Association Agreement with the EU, joined NATO's Partnership for Peace programme and become a member of the International Monetary Fund. On Friday it will become a member of the Council of Europe.
Sturanovic congratulated the Croatian government on the results it had achieved in the development of the country on its path to the EU and NATO, and stressed the importance of Croatia's experience for Montenegro.
Sturanovic also highlighted the importance of Croatian-Montenegrin cooperation for the stability of the region and the realisation of their common future within the European Union.
Sanader praised Montenegro for the results it had achieved within a short period of time, urging further promotion of Croatian-Montenegrin relations.
Sanader said that "the past cannot and should not be ignored" and that "attacks on Dubrovnik and Konavle should not be forgotten." "We appreciate the expressions of regret from Montenegro," he said, adding that "the past should not be forgotten but we should learn from it."
"We don't want to live in the past but in the present and want to build relations for the future," Sanader said.
Sanader pledged Croatia's support to Montenegro on its road to the European Union, stressing that the two countries shared the same values of the free world.