Background

Article II of the Dayton Peace Accords provided a framework for negotiations of an agreement on confidence- and security-building measures (CSBMs) in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Agreement was concluded in Vienna on 26 January 1996 between the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republika Srpska, under the auspices of the OSCE.

Measures

Entering into effect immediately, the Agreement provided for a comprehensive set of measures to enhance mutual confidence and reduce the risk of conflict. These measures included:

• exchange of military information
• notification as well as observation and constraints on certain military activities
• restrictions on military deployments and exercises in certain geographic areas
• withdrawal of forces and heavy weapons to cantonments or designated emplacements
• internal inspection regime orientated on the Vienna Document 1990

Implementation

During nearly 280 inspections in the first eight years of implementation, no significant problems were noted. A first review meeting was held in Vienna from 16 to 20 February 1998, and it was considered that the conduct of the Parties had generally been very constructive. Several decisions to update existing articles and measures of the Agreement were taken.

Between 1999 and 2002, another four review conferences were held in Vienna which led to important decisions such as the preparation of a new Protocol on Existing Types and a protocol on Aerial Observation Flights. It was decided to organize Code of Conduct seminars as well as seminars on different topics related to security. A Joint Field Training Exercise, which was successfully conducted in Bosnia Herzegovina in spring 2004, improved the co-operation of Armed Forces with Civil Protection Agencies significantly.

Closure of Article II

Taking into consideration the outstanding progress of confidence- and security-building measures, the Parties decided in the fifth and last Review Conference that the Article II Agreement has been fully implemented.

Therefore, the Agreement on the Termination of Article II was officially signed by the parties on 28 September 2004 at the 44th Joint Consultative Commission (JCC) meeting in Sarajevo.