    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1999, Book I)]
    [March 25, 1999]
    [Pages 453-454]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks on Airstrikes Against Serbian Targets and an Exchange With
    Reporters
    March 25, 1999

        The President. I'm about to receive a briefing from the national
    security team, as you can see. I'm very grateful that our crews returned
    home safely after their work last night. And I'm very grateful that the
    United States Congress has expressed its support for them.
        I want to say again that our purpose here is to prevent a
    humanitarian catastrophe or a wider war. Our objective is to make it
    clear that Serbia must either choose peace or we will limit its ability
    to make war. And we're going to get a briefing and lay further plans
    today.
        Q. Mr. President, yesterday you listed in the briefing room three
    objectives of the airstrikes, but among them was not a demand that
    Milosevic return to the negotiating table if he signed a peace
    agreement. Yet, others in the administration are saying this morning
    that is a precondition for ending the strike. What are the facts?
        The President. Well, he has to choose
    peace, or we have to try to limit his ability to make war. That's what
    we're trying to do. And I think that's been very clear. If you look at
    what happened at the Rambouillet talks, the arrangement was basically
    supported by all of Europe, the United States, the Kosovars. The
    Russians agreed that it was a fair agreement. They did not agree to the
    military involvement of NATO, but they agreed that it was a fair
    agreement. Only Mr. Milosevic and the Serbs declined to deal with the
    evident responsibility they have to choose the path of peace instead of
    the path of aggression and war.

    [[Page 454]]

        So I think that it is clear--I don't know how to make it any
    clearer--that we either have to have a choice for peace by Serbia, not
    just stopping the killing for an hour or two but a choice for peace, or
    we will do our best to limit their ability to make war on those people.
        Q. What is the exit strategy?
        The President. The exit strategy is what it always is in a military
    operation. It's when the mission is completed.
        Q. Do you believe the Kosovars can be safe without the intervention
    of ground troops from NATO? Can your goals be achieved just through
    airstrikes?
        The President. I do. I believe we can create a situation in which we
    have limited their ability to make war and thereby increase the
    prospects that they can protect themselves better. I do believe that.
        Q. What about Russians threatening to arm Belgrade?
        The President. Well, you know, they have quite a lot of arms on
    their own; they made a lot of arms in the former Yugoslavia. I told the
    American people they had a very impressive air defense system, and they
    had lots of other arms and weapons. I have no intention of supporting
    any lifting of the arms embargo on Serbia. I think that would be a
    terrible mistake. We would be far better off if they didn't have as many
    arms as they do; then they would be out there making peace and
    accommodating these ethnic differences and figuring out ways they can
    live together.
        Q. Are you concerned that the American people aren't more strongly
    behind you on this?
        The President. No. I believe that many Americans really had not
    thought a lot about this until the last 2 days. I hope that a lot of
    them heard my presentation last night. I did my very best to explain
    what we were doing and why, and I believe that a majority of them will
    support what we're trying to do here. I also believe very strongly that
    it is my responsibility to make this judgment based on what I think is
    in the long-term interests of the American people.
        Q. [Inaudible]--achieve peace or you will limit his ability to make
    war, but need he come back to the conference table?
        The President. I think he knows what
    needs to be done.

    Note: The President spoke at 12:10 p.m. in the Oval Office at the White
    House, prior to a meeting with the national security team. In his
    remarks, he referred to President Slobodan Milosevic of the Federal
    Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro). A tape was not available
    for verification of the content of these remarks.