    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1995, Book II)]
    [November 27, 1995]
    [Pages 1782-1783]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks Announcing the Child Survival Initiative for Bosnia-Herzegovina
    and an Exchange With Reporters
    November 27, 1995

        The President. Ladies and gentlemen, I am honored to be here today,
    especially with Congressman Tony Hall, a longstanding champion of
    children in our own country and throughout the world and the leading
    fighter in the Congress and perhaps in the entire United States in
    combating hunger. After visiting Bosnia this fall, Representative Hall
    worked with UNICEF to design the important child survival initiative
    that we announce today. I thank UNICEF Director Carol Bellamy, not only
    for her work at UNICEF but for her previous service in our
    administration as the Director of the Peace Corps; and the USAID
    Administrator, Brian Atwood, who has been a tireless advocate of
    America's role in promoting sustainable development, in providing
    developmental assistance, and protecting the welfare of children
    throughout the world.
        I want to especially welcome here two Bosnian families, the
    Kapetanovic family and the Mundzahasic family, who fled the fighting in
    their homeland and have been resettled as refugees here in the United
    States. Welcome to both of you.

    [[Page 1783]]

        These families know firsthand the terrible costs of war, the
    breakdown of basic human services, the lack of medical care, the forced
    closure of schools. They know how desperately the people of Bosnia need
    support and assistance from the international community right now.
        Since the conflict in Bosnia began nearly 4 years ago, our Nation
    has played a major role in providing emergency assistance, including
    support for children, clean water and sanitation, food, shelter, and
    health care. But even with these efforts, the war in Bosnia has
    seriously harmed the most innocent and most vulnerable members of that
    society, its children.
        Immunization rates have declined dramatically, putting tens of
    thousands of children at risk of potentially deadly whooping cough,
    measles, and diphtheria. The situation has been aggravated by the onset
    of harsh winters and overcrowded living conditions. Half of Bosnia's
    pre-war population was driven from their homes during the conflict, and
    even today, more than one million of them remain homeless.
        In addition, the basic education systems in the region are in deep
    crisis. It is estimated that 40 percent of the primary schools in
    Croatia and 55 percent of those in Bosnia have been either damaged or
    destroyed.
        Now that a lasting peace is at hand, we have to bring the Bosnian
    people the benefits of that peace, starting with the children. And that
    is exactly what USAID and UNICEF are doing. Together, they will lead a
    new, multinational initiative to immunize the children of Bosnia,
    Croatia, and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia who have not had access
    to decent health care during this war. Efforts should begin before
    Christmas. Most of the approximately 150,000 needy children in the
    region should be immunized within just 6 months.
        This initiative will also provide support for basic education
    systems. Remember the comment of Zlata Filpovic, the Sarajevan girl who
    shared her experience of the war through her remarkable diary, ``For
    me,'' she said, ``the school is a symbol of normal life. When they take
    away my school, I said this really means something. They took my
    childhood; they took my school.'' With this program we can at least
    begin to give those children back their childhoods which were stolen.
        USAID and UNICEF are finalizing plans for this $15 million
    initiative. The United States will devote $2 million to back the effort
    now, and our goal is to contribute $5 million. We'll also do our part to
    mobilize other donors. We hope our friends and our allies will join us
    in supporting this important program for the children of the former
    Yugoslavia.
        We have just celebrated one of our most treasured holidays,
    Thanksgiving. All across our country, Americans came together to give
    thanks for the blessings in their lives and the lives of their families.
    This Thanksgiving, our Nation helped to give the people of Bosnia a
    blessing as well: the first real hope of peace in nearly 4 years. I want
    to say a special thanks again to the citizens of Dayton, Ohio, who
    welcomed the Balkan leaders to Dayton and who demonstrated on our behalf
    our vast and diverse Nation all committed to living together in peace.
        Now we have a responsibility to see this achievement through. That
    is who we are as a people. That is what we stand for as a nation. The
    people of Bosnia, the children of Bosnia, have suffered unspeakable
    atrocities. We must not, and we will not, turn our backs on peace. And I
    am very proud to begin this very important day of discussion with the
    American people with this important announcement.
        And again, I want to say a special word of thanks to Congressman
    Tony Hall for coming to me with this idea and helping me to develop it
    and push it through to the point where we could announce it today.
        Thank you all, and thank you, Congressman.

    President's Address to the Nation

        Q. Mr. President, how hard a sell do you face tonight with your
    speech?
        The President. I think the American people will respond. I believe
    that they're entitled to an explanation, that our values and our
    interests are very much at stake in the decision we make. And they're
    also entitled to an explanation about what exactly I propose to have our
    troops do there as part of the NATO mission. And I will do that this
    evening.
        But I believe they will respond. This is an extraordinary
    opportunity and we have a very compelling responsibility, and I expect
    the American people to support it.
        Thank you.

    Note: The President spoke at 1:44 p.m. in the Roosevelt Room at the
    White House.