    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1996, Book II)]
    [December 20, 1996]
    [Pages 2229-2230]
    [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 20, 1996

    Dear Mr. Speaker:  (Dear Mr. President:)
        In my report to the Congress of June 21, 1996, I provided further
    information on the deployment of combat-equipped U.S. Armed Forces to
    Bosnia and other states in the region in order to participate in and
    support the North Atlantic Treaty Organization-led Implementation Force
    (IFOR). I am providing this supplemental report, consistent with the War
    Powers Resolution, to help ensure that the Congress is kept fully
    informed on continued U.S. contributions in support of peacekeeping
    efforts in the former Yugoslavia.
        We continue to work in concert with others in the international
    community to encourage the parties to fulfill their commitments under
    the Dayton Peace Agreement and to build on the gains achieved over the
    last year. It remains in the U.S. national interest to help bring peace
    to Bosnia, both for humanitarian reasons and to arrest the dangers the
    fighting in Bosnia represented to security and stability in Europe
    generally. Through American leadership and in conjunction with our NATO
    allies and other countries, we have seen real progress toward
    sustainable peace in Bosnia. We have also made it clear to the former
    warring parties that it is they who are ultimately responsible for
    implementing the peace agreement.
        Approximately 9,000 U.S. troops currently are deployed in Bosnia and
    Herzegovina under NATO operational command and control as part of the
    current Stabilization Force (SFOR) total of about 35,800. All NATO
    nations and 18 others, including Russia, contributed troops or other
    support to IFOR and most will continue to provide such support to the
    follow-on force, discussed below. Most U.S. troops are assigned to
    Multinational Division, North, centered around the city of Tuzla. In
    addition, approximately 6,900 U.S. troops are deployed to Hungary,
    Croatia, Italy, and other states in the region in order to provide
    logistical and other support to SFOR.
        Consistent with United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR)
    1031 (1995) and the North Atlantic Council decision of December 16,
    1995, IFOR has now successfully accomplished its mission to monitor and
    ensure compliance by all parties with the military aspects of the Peace
    Agreement initialed in Dayton and formally signed in Paris on December
    14, 1995. War no longer rages throughout Bosnia. Weapons have been
    cantoned, troops demobilized, and territory exchanged. While inter-
    ethnic tensions remain, the killing has ended and peace is taking hold.
    Building on its accomplishment of military tasks that established the
    necessary environment for civilian implementation, IFOR also assisted in
    the overall civilian implementation effort, including elections support,
    support to the international criminal tribunal and the facilitation of
    freedom of movement of civilian persons. IFOR also stood ready to
    provide emergency support to the United Nations Transitional
    Administration in Eastern Slavonia (UNTAES).
        In order to contribute further to a secure environment necessary for
    the consolidation of peace throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina, NATO has
    approved, and I have authorized U.S. participation in, an IFOR follow-on
    force to be known as the Stabilization Force (SFOR). The United Nations
    Security council authorized member states to establish the follow-on
    force in UNSCR 1088 of December 12, 1996. Transfer of authority from
    IFOR to SFOR occurred on December 20, 1996. The parties to the Peace

    [[Page 2230]]

    Agreement have all confirmed to NATO their support for the SFOR mission.
    In particular, Bosnia and Herzegovina has indicated that it welcomes
    SFOR.
        SFOR's tasks are to deter or prevent a resumption of hostilities or
    new threats of peace, to consolidate IFOR's achievements, to promote a
    climate in which the civilian-led peace process can go forward. Subject
    to this primary mission, SFOR will provide selective support, within its
    capabilities, to civilian organizations implementing the Dayton Peace
    Agreement.
        NATO has planned for an 18-month SFOR mission, to be formally
    reviewed at 6 and 12 months, with a view to progressively reducing the
    force's presence and, eventually, withdrawing. I expect the U.S. force
    contribution to SFOR to be about 8,500, less than half that deployed
    with IFOR at the peak of its strength. Many of the U.S. forces
    participating in SFOR are U.S. Army forces that were stationed in
    Germany. Other participating U.S. forces include special operations
    forces, airfield operations support forces, air forces, and reserve
    personnel. An amphibious force is normally in reserve in the
    Mediterranean Sea, and a carrier battle group remains available to
    provide support for air operations.
        IFOR's withdrawal has begun, on a schedule set by NATO commanders,
    consistent with the safety of the troops and the logistical requirements
    for an orderly withdrawal. A covering force of approximately 5,000
    troops, drawn primarily from the U.S. 1st Infantry Division, deployed to
    Bosnia in November to assist in IFOR's withdrawal. During IFOR's one-
    year mission, U.S. forces sustained a total of 13 fatalities, all
    resulting from accidents. Twenty-one American servicemembers were also
    injured in accidents. As with U.S. forces, traffic accidents, landmines,
    and other accidents were the primary causes of injury to IFOR personnel.
        A U.S. Army contingent remains deployed in the Former Yugoslav
    Republic of Macedonia as part of the United Nations Preventive
    Deployment force (UNPREDEP). This U.N. peacekeeping force observes and
    monitors conditions along the border with the Federal Republic of
    Yugoslavia, effectively contributing to the stability of the region.
    Several U.S. Army support helicopters are also deployed to provide
    support to U.S. forces and UNPREDEP as required. Most of the
    approximately 500 U.S. soldiers participating in these missions are
    assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 63rd Armor, 1st Infantry Division. A
    small contingent of U.S. military personnel is also serving in Croatia
    in direct support of the UNTAES Transitional Administrator.
        U.S. naval forces continued, until October 2, to assist in enforcing
    the U.N.-mandated economic sanctions as part of NATO's participation in
    Operation SHARP GUARD. Because the economic sanctions have been
    terminated, U.S. naval activities in support of Operation SHARP GUARD
    have ceased. U.S. naval forces will remain on call to provide assistance
    should economic sanctions be reimposed.
        I have directed the participation of U.S. Armed Forces in these
    operations pursuant to my constitutional authority to conduct U.S.
    foreign relations and as Commander in Chief and Chief Executive, and in
    accordance with various statutory authorities. I am providing this
    report as part of my efforts to keep the Congress fully informed about
    developments in Bosnia and other states in the region. I will continue
    to consult closely with the Congress regarding our efforts to foster
    peace and stability in the former Yugoslavia.
            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.