[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 30, Number 15 (Monday, April 18, 1994)]
[Pages 809-810]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks on the American Helicopter Tragedy in Iraq and an Exchange With 
Reporters

April 14, 1994

    The President. On behalf of the American people, I want to begin by 
expressing my deep sorrow at the tragedy this morning in Iraq and to 
extend my personal condolences to the families and the loved ones of all 
those who lost their lives.
    Three years ago, our Armed Forces joined in a multinational mission 
to provide humanitarian relief to the oppressed Kurdish minority 
civilians in northern Iraq. Those who died today were a part of that 
mission of mercy. They served with courage and professionalism, and they 
lost their lives while trying to save the lives of others. The important 
work they were doing must, and will, continue.
    According to initial reports, two American helicopters were 
mistakenly identified as Iraqi helicopters and shot down by United 
States aircraft. I have met with Secretary Perry this morning; I have 
talked with him and with General Shalikashvili, and I have instructed 
him to lead a full inquiry into the circumstances of this terrible 
incident. We will get the facts. And when we get the facts, we will make 
them available to the American people and to the people of Britain, 
France, and Turkey, our partners in Operation Provide Comfort.
    Later today, Secretary Perry and General Shalikashvili will be 
providing further briefings to you as we know more and more facts. The 
facts are still coming in, and we will give them to you just as soon as 
we have verified exactly what occurred.
    At this moment, let me close by saying that we should join together 
in terrible sorrow and also in honoring the high purpose for which these 
individuals served and in which they lost their lives. The Nation and 
the world should remember them in gratitude.
    Thank you.
    Q. Mr. President, what's your preliminary assessment, though? What 
are you being told of how this could have happened? And is there any 
suggestion that the troops there are on too fine of a hair trigger?
    The President. Well, all that will have to be, obviously, evaluated 
in light of the real facts here. There are at least three points of 
inquiry involving, first, the actions of the American jets; second, the 
AWACS and their actions; and third, the actions of the helicopters 
themselves. And again, I will tell you we will give you as much 
information as we can. I just am very reluctant to say anything until 
we're absolutely sure. I want you to have good information, and we will 
be doing continuous briefings and updates all day long as we know more.
    Q. Do you know anything, Mr. President, about the numbers of people 
that might be involved and whether they were all American?
    The President. We know that there were probably more than 20 people 
involved and that they were not all American. We do not believe they 
were all American; we believe there were some other people on the 
helicopters.
    Q. And just to follow, you seem to be indicating----
    The President. We do not have--let me say, as of the moment I walked 
out here, we do not have an absolute roster of the people on the 
helicopters. I would tell you if I knew. But we think there were 
approximately 12 total crewmembers, and we know there were some other 
people on the helicopters. And we know there were some other member 
countries in the operations. We do not know any more than that. When we 
know who was on there, we will tell you. As you know, we've dispatched 
an American team to the site to get all the facts.

[[Page 810]]

    Q. Do you know, sir, how high up the chain of command the decision 
had to be made to go ahead and take these helicopters out, what the 
process was, and whether it was followed?
    The President. I have been briefed on that, but I believe, to make 
absolutely sure that no error is made in answering that question, that 
is a question you should direct to Secretary Perry and General 
Shalikashvili, because they will be briefing shortly.

Bosnia

    Q. Mr. President, in the wake of the decision by the U.N. and NATO 
to bomb in Bosnia, you're now confronted with a developing hostage 
crisis, it appears, there where French troops are the latest to be 
encircled by Serbs. What is your message to the Bosnian Serbs as this 
appears to be moving toward crisis proportions?
    The President. Well, of course, this was a concern in the beginning 
of all our allies who had troops on the ground there. But I would remind 
the Serbs that we have taken no action, none, through NATO and with the 
support of the U.N. to try to win a military victory for their 
adversaries. What we have done is taken military action in Bosnia 
through NATO, with the approval of the United Nations, to get them to 
honor the U.N. rules and to encourage them to do what they say they wish 
to do, which is to engage in negotiations.
    There was a hopeful report in this morning's press about the ongoing 
efforts of the Russians through Mr. Churkin to get the Serbs to stop the 
aggression and to return to the negotiations. We are in touch with all 
the events in Bosnia today; there are lots of things going on there. I 
think the Serbs would be making a mistake to start treating the United 
Nations and NATO forces as adverse combatants. That is not what we are 
doing; we are trying to get them to honor their word. And they would be 
making a mistake to do that.
    Q. Sir, if I could follow, how would you get them to make the 
distinction that you're making? They don't seem to be picking up on 
that.
    The President. I think they know quite well what went on. I think 
they're just trying to leverage their position.

Caning in Singapore

    Q. Mr. President, Singapore seems intent on caning this American 
teenager who was convicted of vandalism. Do you think American companies 
that operate in Singapore should exercise their economic clout to try 
and stop this? And also, former President Bush is in Singapore today. 
Should he--would you like to see him intercede on behalf of the young 
man?
    The President. I've not thought through your first question; I don't 
know the answer to that. We have generally quite good relations with 
Singapore. They have a different culture, a different view, a different 
set of laws.
    As you know, I have not objected to the young man's being punished. 
I have not even objected to the young man's being incarcerated. I have 
objected to this caning. I think many Americans who have expressed 
sympathy with it do not understand exactly what it involves, how it is 
going to be administered, and that he is going to bleed considerably and 
may have permanent scars. And I think it is a mistake.
    President Bush will have to decide for himself what he wishes to 
say, but I would--if he decides to say something supportive of the 
absence of caning, I would certainly be grateful for that. But that--it 
will be a decision for him to decide what he wants to say.
    Thank you.

Note: The President spoke at 11:15 a.m. in the Press Briefing Room at 
the White House. In his remarks, he referred to Vitaly Churkin, Russian 
Deputy Foreign Minister.