Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany —International collaboration is key to countering ideological support for terrorism, a Marshall Center professor stressed when she spoke with security and defense officials of the newest member of the international community Nov. 1.

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Marshall Center Professor Dr. Sharyl Cross (center), along with Marshall Center alumni Mehmedin Tahirovic (left), Advisor for Partnership for Peace, Ministry of Defense, and Olivera Injac (right), Advisor for European Integration, Police Directorate, following her lecture on countering ideological support for terrorism at the University of Montenegro in Podgorica Nov. 1

(Photo by Jorge E. Garcia)

Dr. Sharyl Cross, Professor of National Security Studies at the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies here, spoke on building a comprehensive international strategy against ideological support for terrorism during a presentation at the University of Montenegro in Podgorica. The audience included representatives of the Ministry of Defense, National Security Agency and national police academy, as well as academicians and members of non-governmental organizations.

"Combating ideological support for terrorism requires building broad international cooperation. We must develop shared terminology, threat assessments, and strategies,” Cross said.

“The questions following my lecture were excellent. Our colleagues in Montenegro recognize the importance of this security issue and the need for international collaboration in developing effective best practices in de-legitimizing terrorism."

The three-day visit to Podgorica, which also included meetings with university and defense ministry officials, was organized by Mehmedin Tahirovic, Advisor for Partnership for Peace in the Ministry of Defense and a Marshall Center alumnus. Cross’ lecture addressed a critical issue for Montenegro, according to Tahirovic.

“Bearing in mind the fact that Montenegro is a small Balkan country, where many different nationalities live, it is very important to explain ideological sources for terrorism and especially common strategies in fight against it,” Tahirovic said.

Cross’ visit is one of dozens made each year by Marshall Center professors and staff members as part of the Center’s regional outreach. The German-American partnership is best known for its residential courses on security studies and terrorism, as well as for conducting more than 20 conferences a year throughout Europe and Eurasia.

Cross said she saw strong interest in Marshall Center programs among officials determining the course for their country.

"Our colleagues in Montenegro are setting the foundation for building a new nation and defense structures. The experiences of neighboring Balkan and East-Central European nations that have recently undertaken the processes of defense transformation and Euro-Atlantic integration could surely help to expedite the path for Montenegro,” Cross said. “Our colleagues expressed a keen interest in ongoing participation in Marshall Center courses, conferences, alumni activities, and research projects in support of these objectives."

Tahirovic said that he is very familiar with Marshall Center programs, having participated in the Program in Advanced Security Studies and the Senior Executive Seminar in 2006 and completed a research project as a Marshall Center Scholar in 2007. He sees the Marshall Center as a good resource for professional development for Montenegrin security and defense officials as they address the challenges laid out in PfP membership. Montenegro, which declared independence from the state union of Serbia-Montenegro June 3, 2006, signed the framework document to become a Partner country Dec. 14, 2006.

Assistant Minister Vice Adm. Dragan Samardzic, who met with Cross, Marshall Center Security Reform Strategist Connie Kislan, Marshall Center Southeast Europe Outreach Team Chief German Army Maj. Bernd Schales, and representatives of the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, Cal., noted that since Montenegro does not yet have its own institutions for defense and security studies, cooperation with other institutions is important.

“The education that our personnel can get in these two eminent institutions is very important for the process of Euro-Atlantic integration of Montenegro,” Samardzic said.