Brussels, 23/01/2007 (Agence Europe) - The EU Troika and Montenegro has made an assessment of the negotiations on the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA), which is due to come to an end in 2007. Frank-Walter Steinmeier, the German foreign minister said that “significant progress” had been made in this connection. For the first meeting involving this kind of EU-Montenegro format since independence of the country in May 2006, the Council adopted a decision on the principles and criteria of the European partnership agreement, which identifies the priorities of the country in its process towards EU accession. Steinmeier stressed that, “Montenegro should of course carry out economic and administrative reforms” but, “domestic efforts are going in a very positive direction with regard to Constitutional issues”. Without confirming that the conclusion of the SAA could take place under the German Presidency, he confirmed the observation made by the Commissioner in charge of this dossier, Olli Rehn, who pointed out that there had been “encouraging progress”. Steinmeier indicated that what counted was “to get the constitutional process into the right port of call and get all citizens involved in the process”. The minister for foreign affairs in Montenegro, Milan Rocen, described his country as “a European success in the Balkans” and added that he was, “convinced that we are on the right track for promoting the European prospects” of Montenegro. He pointed out that “our government has the clear intention of implementing European standards”. (ab)