    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1996, Book II)]
    [December 17, 1996]
    [Pages 2220-2221]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Statement on Approval of the Operation Plan for the Stabilization Force
    in Bosnia
    December 17, 1996

        I have formally approved NATO's new operation plan for the
    Stabilization Force (SFOR) that will succeed the NATO-led Implementation
    Force (IFOR) in Bosnia after December 20. I welcome NATO's decision
    yesterday to approve formally the new operation plan and today to
    approve the Activation Order that will authorize the start of SFOR's
    mission.

    [[Page 2221]]

        SFOR's limited and focused mission is to consolidate the peace that
    IFOR successfully established and maintained. During the past 12 months,
    IFOR separated and ensured the demobilization of former warring
    factions. It provided the secure conditions in which democratic
    elections could be held and the reconstruction of Bosnia's shattered
    economy could begin. IFOR succeeded in bringing an end to a war that
    threatened stability in Europe. Now, by preventing the parties from
    sliding back into armed conflict and providing more breathing space for
    political and economic efforts to take hold, SFOR will help Bosnians
    assume full responsibility for their future--a future without an outside
    military presence.
        As the leader of NATO and the principal architect of the Dayton
    peace, the United States must continue to lead in this new mission to
    consolidate the peace in Bosnia. At the same time, our European allies
    are sharing the responsibility for building long-term stability. The
    European Union is the leading donor to the economic reconstruction
    effort and shoulders the burden of helping Bosnia's refugees. Europe
    will also contribute a greater share of the troops for SFOR than it did
    for IFOR, with the U.S. providing less than half of what we provided for
    IFOR.
        SFOR's mission will last 18 months. Every 6 months we will review
    and consult with Congress on whether stability can be maintained with
    fewer forces. By helping the Bosnian people build a peace that is self-
    sustaining, SFOR will also help advance our fundamental goal of building
    a Europe that is peaceful, undivided, and democratic.