[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1996, Book I)]
[January 11, 1996]
[Page 46]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Interview on Bosnia With the Voice of America
January 11, 1996

    Q. Mr. President, you are regarded as a hero in Bosnia; you are the 
person who brought peace over there. Yet, we do have some renewed 
fighting between Muslims and Croats. Are you going to be meeting with 
any local leaders and addressing the issue?
    The President. Well, I know I'm going to see President Izetbegovic, 
and I'm going to hopefully see President Tudjman. And we may be able to 
see some others, as well; I don't think that it's been finalized, all 
the people I will speak with. But I will do what I can while I'm there 
to help to encourage the parties to follow the letter and the spirit of 
the Dayton agreement and the Paris peace accord.
    Q. NATO bombed the Bosnian Serbs, we know that, and these people are 
terrified. What do we tell them now that NATO is back in Bosnia?
    The President. You should tell them that NATO is back in Bosnia only 
because the leaders of all the groups asked NATO to come in, as a 
strictly neutral partner. If you look at the United States, we have 
agreed to work in an area of Bosnia where we will be working with the 
Russians who are more sympathetic with the Serbs. We and the Russians 
are working together in the hope that we can convince all the parties, 
the Serbs, the Croats, and the Muslims, that we have no ill will toward 
anyone, we wish to hurt no one, we are there only to help them implement 
the peace agreement their own leaders have made.
    Q. Thank you.
    The President. Thank you.
    Q. Good luck.
    The President. Thank you.

Note: The interview began at approximately 10:15 a.m. in the Roosevelt 
Room at the White House, and it was released by the Office of the Press 
Secretary on January 12. In his remarks, the President referred to 
President Alija Izetbegovic of Bosnia-Herzegovina and President Franjo 
Tudjman of Croatia. A tape was not available for verification of the 
content of this interview.