[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 3 (Friday, January 5, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E30-E31]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     TONY LAKE ANOTHER UNSUNG HERO

                                 ______


                          HON. BILL RICHARDSON

                             of new mexico

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, January 5, 1996

  Mr. RICHARDSON. Mr. Speaker, the unsung hero in the Bosnia success of 
the Clinton 

[[Page E31]]
administration is National Security Adviser, Anthony Lake. While very-
deserved credit should go to Secretary of State Christopher and 
Assistant Secretary Richard Holbrooke, it was Lake's initiative and 
policy direction in August that got the ball rolling. Specifically, 
Tony Lake organized and chaired a series of high-level meetings at 
which United States-Bosnia policy was formulated and refined.
  In August, at the President's behest, he traveled to Europe to 
present the new U.S. diplomatic initiative to our allies and the 
Russians. He was successful in bringing the allies and contact group 
members on board with this initiative.
  He was in daily contact with the U.S. negotiating team, led by 
Ambassador Holbrooke, whose subsequent shuttle diplomacy effort 
produced a ceasefire, agreement on basic principals of a settlement, 
and the beginning of proximity talks in Dayton.
  He chaired regular high-level meetings to ensure high-level guidance 
to the process and keep it on track and moving forward.
  In mid-November, Mr. Lake traveled to Dayton to interact directly 
with the parties. He met several times with Bosnian, Croatian, and 
Serbian leaders and was able to provide key impetus to the negotiations 
at a crucial time in the proceedings.
  In short, his role was to develop a policy that could be sustained 
throughout the negotiating process. His concept for a diplomatic 
settlement bore fruit in Dayton.
  Mr. Speaker, when the successful history of the Bosnian diplomatic 
triumph of the United States is chronicled, the most important and 
deserved credit should go to Tony Lake, who despite working quietly in 
the background, has had a singularly unparalleled contribution to the 
Bosnian diplomatic success of America.

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