The „Agreement on Sub-Regional Arms Control (Dayton Article IV) – Orientation Course“ was held in RACVIAC – Centre for Security Cooperation in the period 3 – 5 November 2021. The 3 – day Course consisted of a theoretical and a practical part.
This Course has been organized by RACVIAC since 2001 with the financial support of the Federal Republic of Germany. Since the very beginning RACVIAC has been receiving great support from the OSCE, namely, the Office of the Personal Representative, which closed in 2015 due to the fact that the Signatory countries took ownership of the Agreement. The cooperation continued with OSCE’s Conflict Prevention Centre and Forum for Security Co-operation (FSC) Support Section whose Ms Danijela Đurić attended Opening of the Course on behalf of Director, Mr Robin Mossinkoff, as well as BwVC representative LtC Jorn Wiederholz. RACVIAC couldn’t have conducted these courses without the support and expertise of the Verification Centres of the four countries and the support of the
The purpose of the Course was to train participants in the role of inspectors and escorts within the framework of the Agreement on Sub-Regional Arms Control and to establish a common understanding of the Agreement in order to foster mutual trust and confidence as well as transparency during the performance of inspections.
In his Opening address, on behalf of MG (ret.) Jeronim Bazo, Director, RACVIAC Deputy Director MG Slaven Zdilar stated: “The Dayton Article IV Course is one of the most recognizable annual activities of our Organization since it evidently makes a significant contribution to regional stability, transparency and trust and attracts participants not only from the SEE region but the entire world as well. Having participants from France, South Korea, Greece, Albania, or from the USA (DTRA-Europe) with us here today proves the importance of this Agreement, not only when it comes to its successful practical application nowadays but experience and good practice sharing as well.“
At the end MG Zdilar also took the opportunity to thank the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Croatia for the support it has provided in the organization of the practical phase of the Course and the Federal Republic of Germany for its contribution. „I would like to thank each and every one of you for your presence here, which we perceive as a clear sign of appreciation of the activities organized by RACVIAC – Centre for Security Cooperation“ he concluded.
The one-day practical part of this year’s Course was held and conducted in the barracks of the 7th Brigade “PUME” in Varaždin, on November 5, involving a training inspection of a Declared Site in order to enable the participants, divided into teams, to practice their roles as inspectors or escorts.
Participants of the “Agreement on Sub-Regional Arms Control (Dayton Article IV) – Orientation Course” also visited Varaždin County on Friday and on that occasion met with prefect Anđelko Stričak who, accompanied by the Husar Guard and the Varaždin Civil Guard, hosted them in the county palace. MG Slaven Zilar, Deputy Director of RACVIAC, thanked the prefect for the warm welcome, emphasizing that Varaždin County is an excellent example of a rich history, a secure present and, without a doubt, a prosperous future.
The Course has gathered more than 25 participants from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, France, Germany (DTRA), Greece, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Slovenia, South Korea and the OSCE.
As the Course was conducted in the official languages of the Agreement’s Parties, simultaneous translation into English was provided.
