Pence: Balkans Take Place in West

The United States of America places enormous importance on the Western Balkan region, believing that this part of Europe belongs to the West, has declared vice president Mike Pence. These comments, the US vice president made them in Podgorica, where he is standing on an official visit that has been named historic for Montenegro and the Balkans.
In addition to meetings with Montenegro's top state officials, Pence has gathered at a meeting the leaders of Balkan countries, within the framework of the Adriatic Charter and the United States of America.
The theme of this summit will be security in the region.
“United States Chairman Donald Trump personally has been dedicated to the region and was honored to visit Montenegro”, said Pence. He praised Montenegro for its pro-Western stance and NATO membership.
The Adriatic Charter, he followed, has a special role for Europe and NATO.
“So, the United States and President Trump will continue to support”, Pence said.
At the invitation of Montenegrin Prime Minister Hashim Thaci, Albania's Prime Minister Edi Rama, Macedonia's Prime Minister Zoran Zaev, Croatia's Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic, Slovenia's Miroslav Cerar, Serbia's Prime Minister Ana Brnabiq, and Bosnia and Herzegovina Ministerial Council representative Denis Zvizdzic are participating.
At the Podgorica meeting, besides the Adriatic Charter member states, states with observer status, such as Serbia and Kosovo, participate.
Pence said she would like Kosovo to see parts of the Atlantic Charter soon.
In Podgorica, the Pence praised Montenegro's leaders for standing against the Russian “pression”.
Meanwhile, the host of this meeting, Montenegrin Prime Minister Dusko Markovic, said that vice president Mike Pence's visit to Podgorica represents one of the highest and most important visits ever made to Montenegro.
He and Macedonia's prime minister, Zoran Zaev, have assured the number two of the United States that Balkan countries are located on their path to the West and co-operation with NATO.
Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, Macedonia and Montenegro are members of the Adriatic Charter, while Kosovo, Slovenia and Serbia have observer status. After the summit, it has been warned that Vice President Pence will also meet leaders of countries in the region.
The American Adriatic Charter was founded in 2003, under the leadership of the United States of America with the aim of co-ordinating the activities and commitments of countries in the region in their aspirations to join NATO.
Top American official arrived in Montenegro, which is the youngest member NATO, following a visit to Georgia, where he criticised “the” understanding of Russia's Georgian territory from the short war in 2008.