[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 30, Number 11 (Monday, March 21, 1994)]
[Pages 558-561]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks at the Bosnian Federation Signing Ceremony

March 18, 1994

    President Clinton. President Izetbegovic, President Tudjman, Prime 
Minister Silajdzic, Mr. Zubak, the Secretary of State, Mr. Lake, the 
Vice President and I are happy to be joined by you, as well as by others 
here today. We have the Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia Vitali 
Churkin. Representing the European Union Troika, the Foreign Ministers 
of Greece, Mr. Papoulias; of Belgium, Mr. Claes; of Germany, Mr. Kinkel, 
and of course, David Owen and Thorvald Stoltenberg, who have been the 
cochairs of the international conference.
    In addition to that, we're very pleased to be joined by the 
Ambassadors to the UNPROFOR nations who have been so active in working 
for peace and in preserving the peace, General Shalikashvili, Ambassador 
Albright, and Members of the Congress. In the front row, Senator Lugar, 
Senator Stevens, Senator Levin, Senator Hatch, Congressman Lantos, and I 
believe Congressman McCloskey is here. There he is in the second row. So 
we thank all of you for coming today.
    We have come to bear witness to a moment of hope. For 33 months the 
flames of war have raged through the nations of the former Yugoslavia. 
By signing these agreements today, Bosnian and Croatian leaders have 
acted to turn back those flames and to begin the difficult process of 
reconciliation.
    Around the globe the tension between ethnic identity and statehood 
presents one of the great problems of our time. But nowhere have the 
consequences been more tragic than in the former Yugoslavia. There 
nationalists and religious factions aggravated by Serbian aggression, 
have erupted in a fury of ethnic cleansing and brutal atrocity.
    The agreements signed today offer one of the first clear signals 
that parties to this conflict are willing to end the violence and begin 
a process of reconstruction. The accords call for a federation between 
Muslims and Croats of Bosnia. This Muslim-Croat entity has agreed on the 
principles of a confederation with Croatia. Together these steps can 
help support the ideal of a multiethnic Bosnia and provide a basis for 
Muslims and Croats to live again in peace as neighbors and compatriots. 
The agreements are as important for Croatia's future as they are for 
Bosnia's. And it is the hope of all present today that the Serbs will 
join in this process toward peace as well.
    These agreements are a testament to the perseverance and to the 
resolve of many people: the Croatian and Bosnian diplomats who kept 
probing for openings toward peace; the U.N. soldiers from many nations, 
here represented today, who have worked to bring both stability and 
humanitarian supplies; the NATO pilots who have helped put our power in 
the service of diplomacy.
    I want to praise the leadership and courage of those who have come 
to Washington to sign these agreements, especially President Izetbegovic 
and President Tudjman. I also want to recognize the tireless efforts of 
Thorvald Stoltenberg and David Owen and, of course, our own Cy Vance, 
who is not here today, and especially to express my personal 
appreciation to the skilled diplomacy of Ambassador Charles Redman. 
Thank you, sir, for your work.
    All of these people have done much to bring us to this point of 
agreement. Through Ambassador Redman's efforts and in many other ways, 
our administration has worked with our NATO allies, the European Union, 
Russia, the U.N. and others to help end this conflict. The fact that we 
have done this work together has made a significant difference. And to 
the Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia, I say a special thank you, sir, 
for your renewed energy in this area and our common hopes.
    We have engaged in this work because the United States has clear 
interests at stake, an interest in helping prevent the spread of a wider 
war in Europe, an interest in showing that NATO remains a credible force 
for peace, and interest in helping to stem the terrible, destabilizing 
flows of refugees this struggle is generating, and perhaps clearly, a 
humanitarian interest we all share in stopping the continuing slaughter 
of innocents in Bosnia.
    The documents signed here are only first steps, but they are clearly 
steps in the right direction. If they lead to an overall negotiated 
settlement, if a lasting peace takes hold in

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this war-torn land, the ceremony will be remembered as an important 
event. Whether that comes to pass will depend less on our words today 
than on the actions of Muslims, Croats, and Serbs on the ground tomorrow 
and in the days to come.
    For while documents like these can define the parameters of peace, 
the people of the region themselves must create that peace. Economic, 
political, and security arrangements for the new federation must be 
given a chance to work. The ceasefire between Croats and Bosnian 
Government forces must hold. Croats and Muslims who have fought with 
such intensity must now apply that same intensity to restoring habits of 
tolerance and coexistence.
    The issue of the Petrinja region of Croatia must be resolved. Serbia 
and the Serbs of Bosnia cannot sidestep their own responsibility to 
achieve an enduring peace.
    The new progress toward peace will likely come under attack by 
demagogs, by rogue riflemen, by all those who believe they can profit 
most from continued violence, aggression, and human suffering. Such 
attacks must be met with the same steadiness and leadership that have 
produced these agreements today.
    Neither the United States nor the international community can 
guarantee the success of this initiative. But the U.S. has stood by the 
parties as they have taken risks for peace, and we will continue to do 
so. I have told Presidents Izetbegovic and Tudjman that the U.S. is 
prepared to contribute to the economic reconstruction that will bolster 
these agreements. And as I have said before, if an acceptable, 
enforceable settlement can be reached, the U.S. is prepared through NATO 
to help implement it.
    All across Bosnia and Croatia communities and entire peoples were 
once connected by ancient bridges, like the great stone arch in Mostar, 
which for centuries stood as the city's proud symbol. Today, too many of 
those bridges have been reduced to rubble or closed by force. The 
challenge for parties to this conflict is to rebuild the bonds that 
those bridges represent. The announcement that Sarajevo's bridge of 
brotherhood and unity soon will reopen is a hopeful sign that the 
parties can begin to span the divide of hatred and violence.
    The work ahead is indeed daunting, but all of us in the 
international community are committed to help. Together, let us strive 
for peace.
    Thank you.
    Mr. Papoulias, the Foreign Minister of Greece, representing the 
European Union.
    Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias. Mr. President, Mr. President 
Tudjman, President Izetbegovic. The European Union warmly welcomes the 
agreement on the constitutional character for the future federation 
between the Croats and the Muslims of Bosnia-Herzegovina. This is a 
significant success coming shortly after the framework agreement signed 
in Washington on the first of March.
    It is also a further step towards attaining a comprehensive solution 
in Bosnia-Herzegovina with the participation of the Bosnian Serbs, thus, 
safeguarding the territorial integrity of the country.
    We congratulate the negotiators for obtaining results in such a 
brief time. We recognize that this would not have been possible without 
the active involvement of the United States administration.
    Mr. President, the European Union has for some time now insisted 
that your country's involvement is crucial if a solution in Bosnia-
Herzegovina and throughout ex-Yugoslavia is to be reached. We on our 
part have already covered a lot of ground. The two cochairmen of the 
International Conference on Yugoslavia have obtained, after lengthy 
negotiations, the agreement of the three parties on an important number 
of issues.
    We believe that the understandings, especially on territorial 
percentages, should constitute the basis for further negotiations if we 
wish to achieve decisive progress soon. Moreover, our intention to 
contribute substantially to the implementation of an overall agreement 
by providing ground forces is still valid. So is our offer to obtain an 
administrator at a united Mostar for a period of up to 2 years.
    Today's success reinforces the progress achieved during the last 
weeks towards a definite end of hostilities through the withdrawal of 
heavy artillery from Sarajevo, the

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lifting of most obstacles to the flow of humanitarian aid, and the 
return, as far as is possible, of the population of Bosnia-Herzegovina 
to normal life.
    In order to maintain the momentum, the European Union has already 
promised to dispatch additional forces for the strengthening of UNPROFOR 
in Bosnia.
    From here on, we have to work hard, so that today's results are 
followed by further progress. We look forward to working closely 
together with the United States, Russia, and other countries involved, 
as well as with all parties to the problem.
    Ex-Yugoslavia is a part of Europe. It is our responsibility and duty 
to participate actively in the efforts to achieve a peace settlement. 
Our presence here underlines our determination and our commitment.
    Thank you.
    President Alija Izetbegovic. Mr. President Clinton, Mr. Tudjman, Mr. 
Vice President Gore, Mr. Secretary, ladies and gentlemen, dear friends, 
particularly my friends from the Senate and the Congress of the United 
States, as well as many others who are present here and who have 
contributed to the signing of documents today, this is a great day for 
Bosnia-Herzegovina, but also to all those who are opposed to war--and 
peace between people. The document signed today is the result of the 
efforts of all people present here. I give them my thanks.
    I am sure that all our friends, both in East and West, join me in 
expressing my gratefulness. Mr. Clinton, as well as Mr. Secretary, you 
have given a great contribution to what is happening today. The 
negotiations that led to the signing of this document have given this 
great result. The situation in Bosnia has improved. There are fewer 
victims.
    Unfortunately, it is only occurring at one part of our country. 
Fighting continues around Brcko and Maglaj, and there is bad news from 
Brcko as well. There were some new conflicts in other areas of Bosnia. 
This means that our efforts for peace must continue without hesitation.
    Our people want only two things, peace and justice. Or as they like 
to say, they like fair peace. Fair peace means that our country will 
keep its borders, and the villages and the cities from which our people 
have been expelled will be able to resettle the refugees. Those who are 
responsible for war crimes will have to be brought to justice.
    The most unfortunate of our people are our refugees and some of our 
member citizens which live in Sandjak. The refugees must return to their 
homes, and the violence in Sandjak must cease.
    From Mr. Clinton's speech, I understood that the United States is 
ready to give their contribution to implementation of the peace 
agreement and reconstruction of our country. We accept this information 
with gratefulness and with pleasure. I pray to God to help our people as 
well as other people who fight for freedom and peace.
    Thank you.
    President Franjo Tudjman. Mr. Clinton, President Izetbegovic, Ladies 
and gentleman, the Republic of Croatia and the entire Croatian nation 
place the highest value on the efforts of the United States and of 
President Clinton in reaching the agreements of the formation of a 
Croatian-Bosnia federation and the further confederation with the 
Republic of Croatia. The signing of this Washington agreement marks a 
crucial turning point in the crisis in this region. And the positive 
outcome would not have been possible without decisive measures 
undertaken by the United States of America.
    The historic step which has been taken today will be of immense 
mutual benefit for Croats and Bosniac Muslims, laying a strong 
foundation for lasting peace and a stable future in this region and 
assuring for both peoples full national sovereignty and full parity of 
equality in all state affairs. The further alliance with the Republic of 
Croatia guarantees the Bosniac Muslims prosperity in the federation, and 
so confederal ties with Croatia in a close association with the Western 
democracies.
    However, in order to address adequately the widespread human and 
material destruction suffered by both republics, determined support is 
critical to restore a decent standard of living enabling the rebuilding 
of the historic areas and to return the displaced and the refugees to 
their homes. We look to the United States and the international 
community to assist us in these burdens so that the

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harsh conditions under which our citizens continue to suffer can be 
alleviated.
    The Republic of Croatia continues to care for the largest number of 
refugees and displaced persons, relative to population, in the world. It 
is our hope that these agreements, coupled with the commitment of the 
international community, will create the conditions necessary for 
lasting peace and the return to normal and productive life for all our 
citizens.
    The Republic of Croatia wishes full integration into regional 
European economic and security systems, as well as comprehensive 
cooperation with other international institutions, all of which will 
contribute to the success of our endeavors. Croatia strives as well to 
be a major factor of stability for the new international order in this 
part of Europe.
    In closing, I would like to emphasize that the Republic of Croatia 
has always looked to the United States of America as the backbone of 
democracy and the pillar of the free and stable world and deeply 
appreciates its effort in this important step taken today.
    Thank you.
    President Clinton. Mr. Zubak.
    Mr. Kresimir Zubak. Mr. President, ladies and gentleman. Croatian 
people in Bosnia-Herzegovina are of the opinion that this senseless war 
in Bosnia-Herzegovina must cease. Croatian people want to organize 
Bosnia-Herzegovina as a free democratic modern state community where 
equal people live. Our people have accepted the peace initiative, which 
with a contribution from European Union was started by United States of 
America.
    Signing these documents today, we accept the responsibility to that 
which was negotiated during the negotiations--to implement that which 
was negotiated. And we will work towards organizing the federation of 
Bosnia-Herzegovina as soon as possible. And we will also strive to 
organize the confederation with the Republic of Croatia as soon as 
possible.
    I thank you, Mr. President, all your colleagues, for the help that 
you have extended to us so far. And I express hope that you will help us 
to organize the state community and the whole territory, and also that 
you will help us to stop the war in the territory of Bosnia-Herzegovina, 
and that you will also help us in reconstructing the war and life in 
Bosnia-Herzegovina.
    Thank you once again.
    President Clinton. Ladies and gentlemen, today we have witnessed an 
act of great statesmanship. Now we must hope that the courage embodied 
by these agreements will inspire further acts of reason, reconstruction 
and progress to implement them, to make them real in the lives of the 
people whose leaders are represented here today.
    We also must hope, I will say again, that the Serbs will join in 
this effort for a wider peace. We invite them and urge them to do so.
    Over 150 years ago, the Balkan poet, Ivan Jukic, wrote the following 
line, ``Only those are heroes who know how to live with their 
brothers.'' Let us hope we are beginning to learn that lesson in this 
troubled land.
    Thank you very much.

Note: The President spoke at 9 a.m. in Room 450 of the Old Executive 
Office Building. In his remarks, he referred to Kresimir Zubak, 
representative of the Bosnian Croats; Greek Foreign Minister Karolos 
Papoulias, Belgian Foreign Minister Willy Claes, and German Foreign 
Minister Klaus Kinkel, representing European Union Troika; Lord David 
Owen and Thorvald Stoltenberg, Cochairmen, International Conference on 
the Former Yugoslavia; Cyrus Vance, former Cochairman of the 
International Conference on the Former Yugoslavia; and Ambassador 
Charles Redman, U.S. Special Envoy for the Former Yugoslavia. Foreign 
Minister Papoulias spoke in Greek, President Izetbegovic spoke in 
Bosniac, and Mr. Zubak spoke in Croatian, and their remarks were 
translated by an interpreter.