Montenegrin President Milo Djukanovic said independence from Yugoslavia would not affect the republic's stability or spur further break-up aspirations in the region, Belgrade media reported today.
Montenegro and Serbia are the only two federal units left after the violent break-up of Yugoslavia's six-member socialist federation in the 1990s.
Western powers are eager to keep Yugoslavia together, fearing that a Montenegrin bid for statehood might encourage those who would like to redraw the map elsewhere in the Balkans, for example in ethnic Albanian-dominated Kosovo.
Some Belgrade analysts have predicted Montenegro, once independent, could in future also face independence calls from its ethnic Albanian minority, the possibility firmly rejected by the Montenegrin leadership.
We have to shatter the prejudice held by a part of the international community that independent Montenegro would be a factor of further instability in the Balkans, the Tanjug news agency quoted Mr Djukanovic as telling Podgorica daily Vijesti.
"On the contrary, I am convinced that the finalisation of dissolving the former Yugoslavia is a prerequisite for starting new integration by European standards," he said adding an independence referendum would be held soon.
Mr Djukanovic's statement came only days after the government in Belgrade presented a draft plan to reform the federation but preserve the joint state, keeping its functions to a minimum.
The plan, seen as a starting point for future dialogue between Serbia and Montenegro, was drafted by Serbia's ruling DOS bloc and a pro-Yugoslav coalition in Montenegro. The DOS is part of Yugoslavia's federal government in Belgrade but is also in Montenegro's opposition.
Montenegro's leadership advocates a loose alliance of two independent states.