Today, this Thursday October 16, 2008 03:00pm Eastern European Summer Time, took place at the Horodetsky House in Kyiv, Ukraine, an official ceremony during which H.E. Prof. Dr. Željko Radulović, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Montenegro to Ukraine, presented his letters of credence to the Ukrainian President, H.E. Mr. Viktor Andriyovych Yushchenko.

Ukrainian President Yushchenko, after welcoming H.E. Ambassador Radulović and congratulating him on the beginning of his diplomatic mission, praised the excellent and friendly bilateral relations between both countries, symbolised by the official visit two days ago to Ukraine, on October 14, of the Montenegrin Foreign Minister, H.E. Mr. Milan Roćen, and by his own visit to Montenegro, planned for this year’s end. The Head of State also expressed his pleasure to meet soon with Montenegrin President, H.E. Mr. Filip Vujanović, on the occasion of the 76th Anniversary Commemorations of Holodomor Tragedy (the fourth Saturday of November) [1] in Kyiv.
President Yushchenko finally informed his Montenegrin interlocutor that, in order to further enhance its friendly ties with Montenegro, Ukraine will open a resident Embassy in Podgorica by this year’s end, concluding his address to Ambassador Radulović by saying that “Montenegro is a successful example in the Western Balkans, which plays a key constructive role in the stabilisation process of the region.”

As for him, H.E. Ambassador Radulović after extending his thanks to President Yushchenko, expressed Montenegro’s willingness to further strengthen and expand bilateral relations with Ukraine in a wide range of areas, including political dialogue at all levels, trade, economic and investment promotion, cultural and educational exchanges. He also stressed the commitment of his country to join the European Union and NATO, and its determination to implement in due time European values and standards to achieve its strategic goal of European and Euro-Atlantic integration.

Former Ambassador of Serbia and Montenegro (SCG) to the Netherlands, H.E. Prof. Dr. Željko Radulović is the first Ambassador of Montenegro to Ukraine since the establishment of diplomatic relations on August 22, 2006, after Montenegro gained independence on June 3rd.