    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1995, Book II)]
    [October 24, 1995]
    [Pages 1674-1675]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Exchange With Reporters in New York City Prior to Discussions With
    Balkan Leaders
    October 24, 1995

    Balkan Peace Process

        President Clinton. Let me begin by saying that I am delighted to
    have this opportunity to meet with President Izetbegovic and President
    Tudjman. We are very much looking forward to having the chance to
    discuss the prospects of peace.
        As all of you know, the United States is committed to peace in
    Bosnia, but an honorable peace, which preserves a unified state that
    respects the rights of all of its citizens. And we are very much looking
    forward to the proximity talks, which will begin in a few days in Ohio.
    And of course, if a peace agreement can be reached, we expect NATO and
    the United States to help to implement it. And we'll be discussing that
    today.
        Q. Mr. President, are you troubled by Senator Dole's effort to bar
    President Milosevic from attending those talks?
        President Clinton. I believe the proximity talks will be held, and I
    think they should be. And I don't think anyone in the United States
    should do anything to undermine the prospects of bringing this horrible
    war to a close. And I would remind anyone who thinks otherwise to
    remember the wisdom of Prime Minister Rabin, who told us in 1993 that
    you cannot make peace with your friends.
        Q. How do you rate those prospects, Mr. President? Do you think this
    is the last best chance for peace in Bosnia?
        President Clinton. It's clearly the best chance in the last 4 years.
    And I think I would rate the prospects as good, thanks in no small
    measure to the wide range of efforts made by these two Presidents, to
    the diplomatic mission that Mr. Holbrooke has headed so ably, and to the
    resolve of NATO and the United Nations in dealing with the violations of
    human rights in previous agreements. So I think the moment is here if we
    can seize it to make a successful peace agreement.
        Q. Do you think Dole's proposal, as you say, would undermine the
    proximity peace talks?
        President Clinton. I think the proximity talks are necessary to make
    a peace. And I believe they----
        Q. [Inaudible]--will undermine that?
        President Clinton. I've already answered that. I don't think we
    should do anything which undermines the prospects of having these talks
    go forward. And they require people who have been on all sides of the
    conflict to get together to make peace. That is the responsible
    position, and it is the one the United States should follow and I
    believe will follow.
        Q. Just what results do you expect out of the talks in Ohio? What is
    the best possible scenario?
        President Clinton. That they will agree to make a peace.
        Q. Can there be a solution here in Ohio, do you think, or is this
    just one more step?
        President Clinton. Well, that's up to them. The United States will
    be there to be supportive. Our Contact Group partners all--Germany,
    United Kingdom, France, and Russia will be there. We will all be working
    hard. We'll do our best to get it done.
        Thank you.

    American Media

        Q. Do you think we're a disaster, sir?
        President Clinton. That's why I laughed yesterday. I wanted to make
    sure you got the attribution right. You have to admit it was kind of
    funny, though. [Laughter]
        Q. It was.
        Q. It was a moment. [Laughter]
        President Clinton. We all need those moments.

    [[Page 1675]]

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

    Balkan Peace Process

        Q. President Clinton, what mechanisms are you going to use in
    Dayton, Ohio, to convince the Serbian side that the reintegration of
    Eastern Slovenia is the only solution?
        President Clinton. Well, first of all, the United States is hosting
    these talks along with our Contact Group partners--the Germans, the
    British, the French, and the Russians--to give the leaders the
    opportunity to come here to make their own peace. And we will do
    whatever we can to be useful in that regard. But my position is that we
    have to seize this moment. This is by far the best chance we have had
    because of the circumstances on the ground and because of the resolve of
    the international community, because of the diplomatic mission. And we
    have to seize this moment and resolve these issues. And I believe it can
    be done diplomatically if all the leaders proceed in good faith. And I
    have no reason to believe they won't.

    Note: The President spoke at 12:30 p.m. in the Waldorf Astoria Hotel
    prior to meeting with President Alija Izetbegovic of Bosnia-Herzegovina
    and President Franjo Tudjman of Croatia. In his remarks, he referred to
    President Slobodan Milosevic of Serbia and Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin
    of Israel. A tape was not available for verification of the content of
    this exchange.