[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.