    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1993, Book I)]
    [May 7, 1993]
    [Page 590]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    [[Page 590]]

    Exchange With Reporters Prior to Discussions With European Community
    Leaders
    May 7, 1993

    Bosnia

        Q. Mr. President, what makes you so confident that you're going to
    get a consensus, and a consensus for what? Air strikes? Lifting the arms
    embargo?
        The President. First of all, I think I should receive a report from
    Mr. Christopher before I make a final comment on that. The Secretary is
    coming home, and we're going to meet. We're going to meet with our
    principals, and we're all going to compare notes. I want to get a good
    personal briefing from Senator Nunn and Senator Lugar and any of the
    other Senators who want to talk to me who went on that trip.
        I just have the feeling based on my conversations in the last week
    and the reports I've been getting that we can reach a common policy,
    particularly in light of the events of the last 2 days. And we'll just
    see how we do and go forward.
        Q. Mr. President, do you feel that you could reach a common policy
    that would not include military force if the allies are resistant to
    that but a policy that could still be successful and that wouldn't
    undermine your authority?
        The President. I think we have to turn up the heat and keep the
    pressure on. You know what our policy has been, what we've been pushing.
    I think I shouldn't say more until after I see Secretary Christopher.
        Q. Mr. President, how does Belgrade's action yesterday change the
    equation, if at all?
        The President. It's hard to say. It was welcome if it's real and if
    it can be followed through on. But I have to get an intelligence report
    on what the practical impact of that is. That's one of the things we'll
    be discussing. Our weekends the last few weeks have been given over to
    these kinds of matters, and I expect tomorrow morning I'll talk about it
    quite a bit.
        Q. While the deliberations are going on, won't the Serbs be simply
    confirming their hold on all this land and killing more people? How do
    you----
        The President. We'll have to wait, and we'll have to see. But that
    will obviously, at least for me, it will affect how I view this and what
    I will do.
        Q. Is it strange to have Milosevic on your side?
        The President. Is it strange to what?
        Q. To have Milosevic on your side?
        The President. Yes, it's an unusual feeling. And I hope he'll stay
    there.

    [At this point, one group of reporters left the room, and another group
    entered.]

        Q. Mr. President, do you expect the Europeans to come along now and
    support the use of force in Bosnia?
        The President. Well, I think that we have to take stronger steps. We
    have to keep turning the pressure up. I think that obviously some of
    what has been done is having an effect, even though the so-called
    assembly did not approve the Vance-Owen plan the Serb leaders seem to be
    in favor of.
        I'm going to discuss that with the Prime Minister and with President
    Delors, and then we're going to talk tomorrow among ourselves. My
    Secretary of State is just coming home now, and after that I'll have
    more to say.
        Q. Mr. President, do you find Mr. Milosevic's actions and the
    sanctions against the Bosnian Serbs encouraging?
        The President. Yes, I hope it's real. I haven't had time to be
    advised about the practical impact of it in the short run, but perhaps
    it will have a psychological impact. I would think these fights between
    the Serbs and the Bosnia Muslims and the Croats, they go back so many
    centuries, they have such powerful roots that it may be that it's more
    difficult for the people on the ground to make a change in their policy
    than for the leaders. And so I think it may be that over the next
    several days some change can be effected on the ground. And if it is a
    genuine effort by Mr. Milosevic, then of course I would be quite happy
    about that, and we'll see what we can do with it.

    Note: The exchange began at 10:40 a.m. in the Oval Office at the White
    House. A tape was not available for verification of the content of this
    exchange.