NATO on Sunday reiterated its respect for the decision taken by the people of Montenegro to declare independence and reaffirmed its commitment to enhancing ties between the military alliance and all Balkan states.

NATO's Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said in a statement that the 26-nation alliance respected the result of the May 21 referendum, as it represented the democratic will of the Montenegrin people.

Meanwhile, he called on Belgrade and Podgorica to "engage in direct talks on the issues which must now be addressed."

"NATO remains committed to good relations with both governments, and to the Euro-Atlantic future of the entire Balkan region," he said.

Montenegro's parliament declared independence from Serbia on Saturday after 55.5 percent of Montenegrins voted for an independent Montenegro in the May 21 referendum. The proclamation ended Montenegro's longtime union with Serbia, which was established in 1918.

The Montenegrin parliament also adopted a declaration of independence which identified the country's integration with the European Union (EU) and NATO as its strategic national goal.

Source: Xinhua