[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1993, Book II)]
[October 13, 1993]
[Pages 1740-1741]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Letter to Congressional Leaders Reporting on the No-Fly Zone in Bosnia-
Herzegovina
October 13, 1993

Dear Mr. Speaker:  (Dear Mr. President:)
    Six months ago I provided you with my initial report on the 
deployment of U.S. combat-equipped aircraft to support NATO's 
enforcement of the no-fly zone in Bosnia-Herzegovina. I am now providing 
this follow-up report, consistent with the War Powers Resolution, to 
keep Congress fully informed on our enforcement effort.
    The United Nations Security Council has been actively addressing the 
humanitarian and ethnic crisis in the Balkans since adopting Resolution 
713 on September 25, 1991. As a significant part of the extensive United 
Nations effort in the region, the Security Council acted through 
Resolutions 781 and 786 to establish

[[Page 1741]]

a ban on all unauthorized flights over Bosnia-Herzegovina. In response 
to blatant violations of these Resolutions, the Security Council adopted 
Resolution 816, which authorized Member States, acting nationally or 
through regional organizations or arrangements, to take all necessary 
measures to ensure compliance with the no-fly zone. NATO and its North 
Atlantic Council (NAC) agreed to provide NATO air assets to enforce the 
declared no-fly zone.
    As I stated in my April 13 report, this enforcement effort began on 
April 12, 1993. Since that time, the participating nations have 
conducted phased air operations to prevent flights over Bosnia-
Herzegovina that are not authorized by the United Nations Protection 
Forces (UNPROFOR). The United States has played a major role by 
contributing combat-equipped fighter aircraft as well as electronic 
combat and supporting tanker aircraft to these operations in the 
airspace over Bosnia-Herzegovina.
    Militarily, enforcement of the no-fly zone has been effective. Since 
the operations pursuant to Resolution 816 began, we have seen no 
recurrence of air-to-ground bombing of villages or other air-to-ground 
combat activity in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Although nearly 400 violations 
have occurred, most have been by rotary-wing aircraft. These flights are 
difficult to detect because they are of short duration and are flown 
slowly, at low altitudes, and in mountainous terrain. Consequently, such 
flights sometimes can complete missions after being detected but before 
being intercepted. In addition, the violators appear to have learned the 
limits of our rules of engagement (ROE) and have become adept at playing 
``cat-and-mouse'' games with the interceptors. When intercepted, 
violators heed the warnings to land, but sometimes the flights continue 
after the interceptors depart.
    These enforcement operations have been conducted safely, with no 
casualties to date. Consideration has been given to strengthening the 
ROE to enforce the no-fly zone more aggressively. Because the violations 
have been militarily insignificant, however, the ROE have not been 
changed.
    The United States continues to make extensive and valuable 
contributions to the United Nations efforts in the former Yugoslavia. 
More than 50 U.S. aircraft are now available to NATO for the continued 
conduct of no-fly zone enforcement operations and possible provision of 
close air support to UNPROFOR in the future. In addition, U.S. airlift 
missions to Sarajevo have numbered more than 1,900, and we have 
completed nearly 1,000 airdrop missions to safe areas, including Mostar. 
U.S. medical and other support personnel are providing vital services in 
support of UNPROFOR, while our U.S. Army light infantry battalion 
deployed to Macedonia has become an integral part of the UNPROFOR 
monitoring operations there. Finally, U.S. naval forces have completed 
more than 14 months of enforcement operations as part of a multinational 
effort to implement the Security Council's mandate with respect to 
economic sanctions and the arms embargo covering the former Yugoslavia.
    Although the no-fly zone enforcement operations have been militarily 
effective and have reduced potential air threats to our humanitarian 
airlift and airdrop flights, this is only part of a much larger, 
continuing effort to resolve the extremely difficult situation in the 
former Yugoslavia. I therefore am not able to indicate at this time how 
long our participation in no-fly zone enforcement operations will be 
necessary. I have continued the deployment of U.S. Armed Forces for 
these purposes pursuant to my constitutional authority to conduct U.S. 
foreign relations and as Commander in Chief.
    I am grateful for the continuing support of Congress for this 
important deployment, and I look forward to continued cooperation as we 
move forward toward attainment of our goals in this region.
    Sincerely,

                                                      William J. Clinton

Note: Identical letters were sent to Thomas S. Foley, Speaker of the 
House of Representatives, and Robert C. Byrd, President pro tempore of 
the Senate.