ArmInfo.Montenegro entrance to the Alliance is a message to other countries that NATO doors are open, James Appathurai, Special Representative of the NATO Secretary General in the South Caucasus and Central Asia expressed such opinion, speaking at the round table "Armenia-NATO Cooperation: Current Stage and Future Prospects". On June 5 after thirty months of signing the Protocol of Accession, Montenegro officially became the 29th member state of NATO. This is the first expansion of the Alliance since April 1, 2009, when Albania and Croatia joined NATO.
"Of course, Russia undertook all possible measures to prevent Montenegro's accession to NATO, up to organizing putsch. However, Montenegro stood fast and we gladly open our doors to them. I think that from now on the protection of Montenegro in the face of Russian paranoia is the common work of the Alliance", he stressed.
Appathurai noted that today three states minimum go for NATO, which, in its turn is extremely open for cooperation, defining Georgia as NATO aspirant.