[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.