    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1998, Book I)]
    [January 22, 1998]
    [Pages 108-109]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Statement on the Apprehension of Indicted War Criminal Goran
    Jelisic
    January 22, 1998

        I welcome the news that Goran Jelisic has been detained by SFOR
    forces, led by American units, in the Republika Srpska city of Bijelina.
    He is now being transported to The Hague for trial before the
    International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. Jelisic was
    indicted by the Tribunal in 1995 for 56 counts of genocide, war crimes,
    and crimes against humanity. The SFOR forces acted according to their
    rules of engagement, which authorize the apprehension of indicted war
    criminals when encountered in the course of their duties. This was the
    third such apprehension by SFOR forces, following actions last July and
    December that resulted in the capture of four indictees and the death of
    a fifth.
        I congratulate the SFOR troops who participated in this effort. The
    United States continues to support fully the work of the Tribunal to
    bring indicted war criminals to justice. Jelisic will be the 23rd of 78
    indictees brought to The Hague for trial. It is important to recall that

    [[Page 109]]

    most of these were delivered in the last 7 months by the parties
    themselves. We intend to sustain political and economic pressure to
    assure continued compliance with the Dayton accords.
        We must continue this progress. Today I call again on all parties to
    the Dayton accords to fulfill their obligations to bring all indicted
    war criminals to justice. Carrying out these commitments is essential
    for advancing the work of reconciliation in Bosnia.