(ANSA) - BELGRADE, SEP 3 - "Montenegro is first in line" in the EU's enlargement process, and the Irish Presidency aims to "close the remainder" of the negotiating chapters by the end of the year. This was stated by Irish Minister for European Affairs Thomas Byrne upon arrival at the informal General Affairs Council in Dublin. Byrne stated that "more than half of the negotiating chapters" with Montenegro had already been closed. Work on the Accession Treaty, which must then be ratified by the member states, continues concurrently. Albania, he added, is also making "excellent progress," and in Ukraine and Moldova, "we hope to open all negotiating chapters by the end of our presidency." (ANSA).