ZAGREB OFFICIALLY OPENED ZAGREB, March 27 (Hina) - The establishment of the Regional Arms Control Verification Implementation Assistance Centre (RACVIAC) is probably the most successful project within the Stability Pact for South
Eastern Europe's third round table and the Pact's first concrete project in Croatia, it was said on Tuesday.
ZAGREB, March 27 (Hina) - The establishment of the Regional Arms
Control Verification Implementation Assistance Centre (RACVIAC)
is probably the most successful project within the Stability Pact
for South Eastern Europe's third round table and the Pact's first
concrete project in Croatia, it was said on Tuesday.#L#
Officially opened today, RACVIAC is a joint project launched by
Croatia and Germany which has been located at the Vitez Damir Zoric
barracks in Rakitje near Zagreb.
The idea of a regional centre originated from Germany, which chose
Croatia as its partner. Croatia accepted the offer and the project
was endorsed in Cologne in June 1999, when the Stability Pact was
signed.
Although officially opened today, RACVIAC has been active for
almost six months now. Its basic role will be to provide forum for
dialogue among the region's countries which it will help, through
the adoption of joint standards and models, to fully and precisely
implement the arms control agreements they have signed.
According to an agreement between the Croatian and German
governments on the establishment of RACVIAC, Croatia, as the host-
country, has provided premises and technical staff, whereas
Germany, as the donor-country, is financing most of the project,
thus far spending more than four million kuna (approx. $460,000) on
furnishing and equipment purchase.
(hina) ha sb