[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 31, Number 37 (Monday, September 18, 1995)]
[Pages 1563-1564]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks on the Agreement To End Air Strikes in Bosnia and an Exchange 
With Reporters

September 15, 1995

    The President. Good morning. I welcome the agreement by the Bosnian 
Serbs to comply with a condition set by NATO and the United Nations for 
ending the NATO air strikes.
    American pilots and crews and their NATO colleagues have been 
carrying out those strikes to prevent further slaughter of innocent 
civilians in the Sarajevo area and in the other safe areas of Bosnia. 
Now, the Bosnian Serbs have stated that they will end all offensive 
operations within the Sarajevo exclusion zone, withdraw their heavy 
weapons from the zone within 6 days, and allow

[[Page 1564]]

road and air access to Sarajevo within 24 hours. NATO and the U.N., 
therefore, have suspended air operations temporarily and will carefully 
monitor the Serb compliance with these commitments.
    The suspension is appropriate. But let me emphasize, if the Bosnian 
Serbs do not comply with their commitments the air strikes will resume.
    Today's developments are a direct result of NATO's steadfastness in 
protecting the safe areas and the close cooperation between the U.N. and 
NATO. They also reflect the intense diplomatic efforts by Assistant 
Secretary of State Richard Holbrooke and the U.S. negotiating team, as 
well as those of our European and Russian partners.
    Now the Bosnian Serbs must carry out their commitments and then turn 
their energies toward a political settlement that will end this terrible 
conflict for good. They should have no doubt that NATO will resume the 
air strikes if they fail to keep their commitments, if they strike again 
at Sarajevo or the other safe areas.
    Today's actions, however, following last week's successful meeting 
in Geneva of the Foreign Ministers of Bosnia, Croatia, and Serbia, are 
important steps along the path to peace in Bosnia. A lot of work remains 
to be done, but we are absolutely determined to press forward to reach a 
settlement to this conflict, not on the battlefield but at the 
negotiating table. We can and we must end Bosnia's long nightmare.
    Q. Mr. President, what do you think is the possibility of 
transforming this into a permanent peace in Bosnia?
    The President. I think there's a good possibility if the parties 
themselves wish to do it. And Ambassador Holbrooke and his team are 
working hard. We're getting good support from Europe and from Russia. I 
think we have a chance.
    Q. Since you last spoke in so formal a setting, even so formal a 
setting as this, a lot has happened, including the biggest military 
operation in NATO's history, something that you certainly urged, intense 
activity by your diplomats. And you have seemed almost shy about coming 
out and talking about it. Is that just an abundance of caution, or why 
is that, sir? [Laughter]
    The President. Not an abundance of caution, but what I have wanted 
to do, first of all, is let our actions speak for themselves. I thought 
it was important to have our actions speak for themselves.
    I also think it is important that even though the United States has 
provided a great deal of the energy and leadership in this effort, in 
this, the first difficult security crisis in Europe after the cold war, 
I think it is important that the NATO forces and the United Nations be 
seen to be united and working together, and we are. And so that explains 
how we have tried to handle this publicly.
    Q. In talking with Mr. Mladic and Mr. Karadzic and in really getting 
them to sign an agreement, is there a contradiction because they are 
convicted war criminals or accused war criminals----
    The President. Accused.
    Q. --accused war criminals? And do you think they can now enter sort 
of the world of nations just like any other leader?
    The President. First of all, those decisions will all have to be 
made down the line by the community of nations. The most important thing 
is that the work continue now to make a comprehensive peace.

Note: The President spoke at 10:04 a.m. in the Briefing Room at the 
White House. In his remarks, he referred to Bosnian Serb leaders Radovan 
Karadzic and Gen. Ratco Mladic.