GERMAN, CROATIAN DEFENCE MINISTERS MEET

ZAGREB, Oct 23 (Hina) - The Regional Arms Control Verification and Implementation Assistance Centre (RACVIAC) project is an example of the success of a project of the Stability Pact for South-East Europe, but also an example of cooperation between Germany and Croatia. This was a joint statement of Croatian Defence Minister Jozo Rados and German counterpart Rudolf Scharping made at RACVIAC headquarters in Zagreb on Wednesday. The German defence minister visited Zagreb as a part of his tour to Bosnia-Herzegovina, Macedonia and Kosovo. "RACVIAC was developed in a very short time, but because of its importance in armament control the Croatian and German defence ministries will continue to support it," Rados told reporters after talks with Scharping. The Croatian minister positively assessed the German-Croatian cooperation in defence. Thanking his German counterpart on the support his country gave during Croatia's joining NATO Partnership for Peace programme, Rados voiced confidence that "cooperation between the two ministries as well as the overall Croatian policy will contribute to our positive influence on stabilisation processes in this part of Europe." The German defence minister also said the RACVIAC project, which was launched two years ago by the German and Croatian governments, was very successful. We are determined to continue the project because we view our two countries' relations as an encouragement to Croatia which has made big headway and from being part of the problem became part of the solution, Scharping told reporters. Cooperation between Croatia and Germany is a sign of our good relations, he added. (hina) it