VIENNA CONFERENCE ON SUB-REGIONAL ARMS CONTROL ENDS

( Editorial: --> 2508 ) VIENNA, June 19 (Hina) - The first review conference on the Sub- Regional Agreement on Arms Control in Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Yugoslavia ended in Vienna on Friday with adoption of a joint declaration. The conference started on June 15. The Sub-Regional Arms Control Agreement is based on the Dayton Peace Accords. Signatories to the agreement - Croatia, Yugoslavia, Bosnia- Herzegovina, the Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina and Republika Srpska - have announced a set of details concerning further implementation of the agreement. The declaration stresses a wish for the removal of agreed quantities of weapons and respect for set deadlines. It was estimated that implementation of the agreement was proceeding well and that it should continue in the spirit of transparent cooperation. The declaration also confirms the commitment of all signatories to implementing the Dayton Peace Accords. Croatia's delegation at the conference was headed by Assistant Foreign Minister for multilateral issues, Vladimir Drobnjak, who said that the Vienna meeting took place in a working and constructive atmosphere. "We have to emphasise that the conference ended with adoption of a declaration which is based on a proposal drawn up by the Croatian delegation," Drobnjak said. Croatia was among the first countries to ratify the Convention on Anti-Personnel Mine Ban, confirming that it was successfully fulfilling its obligations towards the Dayton agreement, Drobnjak said. (hina) rml 191754 MET jun 98