ZAGREB, April 28 (Hina) - Despite the NATO intervention and the Kosovo crisis, the Subregional agreement on arms control between signatories for the Dayton accord should be continued and cannot be suspended by one sided actions by
Yugoslavia, is the principle stance taken by Croatia and other signatories of the accord. The Office for the Supervision of Disarmament with the Croatian Defence Ministry held an extraordinary and informal meeting of the Subregional consulting committee which is being presided over by Croatia since February. As reported by the Defence Ministry, the meeting was convened to confirm a unanimous stance in reaction to Yugoslavia's suspension to implement the agreement. These actions had not been accounted for in the agreement and Yugoslavia justifies its not being able to implement the agreement on its territory during NATO "Combined forces" actions and especially as far as conducting inspection
ZAGREB, April 28 (Hina) - Despite the NATO intervention and the
Kosovo crisis, the Subregional agreement on arms control between
signatories for the Dayton accord should be continued and cannot be
suspended by one sided actions by Yugoslavia, is the principle
stance taken by Croatia and other signatories of the accord.
The Office for the Supervision of Disarmament with the Croatian
Defence Ministry held an extraordinary and informal meeting of the
Subregional consulting committee which is being presided over by
Croatia since February.
As reported by the Defence Ministry, the meeting was convened to
confirm a unanimous stance in reaction to Yugoslavia's suspension
to implement the agreement.
These actions had not been accounted for in the agreement and
Yugoslavia justifies its not being able to implement the agreement
on its territory during NATO "Combined forces" actions and
especially as far as conducting inspections of Yugoslav armed
forces. However, Yugoslavia emphasises that this is a temporary
situation which does not necessarily mean they are withdrawing from
the agreement.
The agreement was signed in Florence in June 1996 as a packet of
measures to strengthen regional stability as noted in Annex 1B of
the Dayton Accord.
The agreement limits conventional arms to all signatories in five
categories of arms (tanks, armoured transporters, canons, fighter
planes and charge helicopters). Implementation of the agreement
consists of a reduction of excess arms, which has already been
conducted; exchange of information and arms inspection in the
field.
Croatia's opinion as is the opinion of other signatories is that a
one-sided suspension of the agreement is not to be allowed and the
agreement should be further implemented especially since it refers
to one of the most successful and useful provisions of the Dayton
accord.
The meeting was attended by representatives of all signatory
parties excepting Yugoslavia which will be informed of the outcome
of the meeting via its embassy in Zagreb.
The meeting was also attended by members of the Contact Group
(France, Italy, Germany, USA, Russian Federation and Great
Britain) as monitors as well as OSCE special envoy for the
implementation of the Subregional agreement on arms control,
Italian general Carlo Jean.
The attendance of international factors confirms international
support for the conclusions reached at the meeting.
hina sp