    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1995, Book II)]
    [December 6, 1995]
    [Pages 1856-1857]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Letter to Congressional Leaders on the Deployment of United States
    Military Forces for Implementation of the Balkan Peace Process
    December 6, 1995

    Dear Mr. Speaker:  (Mr. President:)
        I last reported to the Congress on September 1, 1995, concerning the
    use of U.S. aircraft in support of United Nations and North Atlantic
    Treaty Organization (NATO) efforts in the former Yugoslavia. In that
    report I noted our diplomatic efforts to assist the parties to reach a
    negotiated settlement to the conflict. I am gratified to report that
    those efforts have borne fruit.
        On November 21, 1995, the Presidents of the Republic of Bosnia and
    Herzegovina, the Republic of Croatia, and, on behalf of the Federal
    Republic of Yugoslavia, the President of the Republic of Serbia
    initialed a peace agreement to end the conflict in the former
    Yugoslavia. The agreement has 11 annexes including, among others,
    Military Aspects, Regional Stabilization, Elections, Human Rights,
    Refugees and Displaced Persons, and Civilian Implementation. These
    annexes were also signed or initialed by the state parties, and where
    appropriate, by officials from the Republika Srpska and the Federation
    of Bosnia and Herzegovina. This is the first step in a process that will
    lead to formal signing of the agreement on December 14 in Paris.
        As a result of this important first step, consistent with our
    consultations with the Congress, and pursuant to the North Atlantic
    Council (NAC) decision of December 1, 1995, I have ordered the
    deployment of approximately 1,500 U.S., military personnel to Bosnia and
    Herzegovina and Croatia as part of a NATO ``enabling force'' to lay the
    groundwork for the prompt and safe deployment of the NATO-led
    Implementation Force (IFOR). United States personnel participating in
    the enabling force will be under NATO operational control and rules of
    engagement. To date, I have also authorized the deployment of
    approximately 3,000 additional U.S. military personnel to Hungary,
    Italy, and Croatia in order to establish forward U.S. support
    infrastructure for the enabling force and the IFOR. These personnel will
    deploy in the very near future and will remain under U.S. command and
    control and rules of engagement.
        As I have indicated before, now that I have approved the NATO
    operation plan for imple-

    [[Page 1857]]

    mentation, I will be requesting an expression of support from the
    Congress.
        The enabling force will join previously deployed NATO communications
    personnel in Croatia as well as various national forces currently part
    of the United Nations Protection Force; these other national forces will
    come under NATO operational control when the IFOR main force is
    deployed. The enabling force consists of headquarters and administrative
    staff, communications units, movement control teams, logistics units,
    special forces units and civil affairs personnel under NATO operational
    control. The enabling force will have combat capability for force
    protection. These forces will be fully authorized and equipped to defend
    themselves, and will be backed by U.S. and NATO forces in the theater of
    operations, including U.S. air assets supporting Deny Flight and an
    amphibious reaction force in the Adriatic that are ready and able to
    counter any threat to their safety. In addition, British and other
    elements of the U.N. Protection Force/Rapid Reaction Force (UNPROFOR/
    RRF) in Bosnia will be available to protect U.S. forces. It is
    envisioned that the IFOR main body will begin to deploy following the
    signature of the peace agreement in Paris and the issuance of final NATO
    and U.S. orders. The enabling force will thereafter remain as part of
    the IFOR.
        The U.S. forces participating in the enabling force being deployed
    to Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia are drawn largely from U.S. forces
    stationed in Germany. Among the nations providing forces to the enabling
    force are the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Canada. In total,
    approximately 2,600 troops will be deployed as part of the enabling
    force.
        I authorized these deployments in conjunction with our NATO allies
    following NAC decisions to permit implementation of the peace agreement
    following its formal signing. I have directed the participation of U.S.
    forces in these operations pursuant to my constitutional authority to
    conduct the foreign relations of the United States and as Commander in
    Chief and Chief Executive.
        I am providing this report as part of my efforts to keep the
    Congress fully informed about developments in the former Yugoslavia,
    consistent with the War Powers Resolution.
            Sincerely,

                                                          William J. Clinton

    Note: Identical letters were sent to Newt Gingrich, Speaker of the House
    of Representatives, and Strom Thurmond, President pro tempore of the
    Senate. This letter was released by the Office of the Press Secretary on
    December 7.