[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 31, Number 49 (Monday, December 11, 1995)]
[Pages 2144-2145]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Letter to Congressional Leaders on Bosnia

December 6, 1995

Dear Mr. Speaker:  (Mr. President:)

    I last reported to the Congress on September 1, 1995, concerning the 
use of U.S. aircraft in support of United Nations and North Atlantic 
Treaty Organization (NATO) efforts in the former Yugoslavia. In that 
report I noted our diplomatic efforts to assist the parties to reach a 
negotiated settlement to the conflict. I am gratified to report that 
those efforts have borne fruit.
    On November 21, 1995, the Presidents of the Republic of Bosnia and 
Herzegovina, the Republic of Croatia, and, on behalf of the Federal 
Republic of Yugoslavia, the President of the Republic of Serbia 
initialed a peace agreement to end the conflict in the former 
Yugoslavia. The agreement has 11 annexes including, among others, 
Military Aspects, Regional Stabilization, Elections, Human Rights, 
Refugees and Displaced Persons, and Civilian Implementation. These 
annexes were also signed or initialed by the state parties, and where 
appropriate, by officials from the Republika Srpska and the Federation 
of Bosnia and Herzegovina. This is the first step in a process that will 
lead to formal signing of the agreement on December 14 in Paris.
    As a result of this important first step, consistent with our 
consultations with the Con- 

[[Page 2145]]

gress, and pursuant to the North Atlantic Council (NAC) decision of 
December 1, 1995, I have ordered the deployment of approximately 1,500 
U.S., military personnel to Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia as part 
of a NATO ``enabling force'' to lay the groundwork for the prompt and 
safe deployment of the NATO-led Implementation Force (IFOR). United 
States personnel participating in the enabling force will be under NATO 
operational control and rules of engagement. To date, I have also 
authorized the deployment of approximately 3,000 additional U.S. 
military personnel to Hungary, Italy, and Croatia in order to establish 
forward U.S. support infrastructure for the enabling force and the IFOR. 
These personnel will deploy in the very near future and will remain 
under U.S. command and control and rules of engagement.
    As I have indicated before, now that I have approved the NATO 
operation plan for implementation, I will be requesting an expression of 
support from the Congress.
    The enabling force will join previously deployed NATO communications 
personnel in Croatia as well as various national forces currently part 
of the United Nations Protection Force; these other national forces will 
come under NATO operational control when the IFOR main force is 
deployed. The enabling force consists of headquarters and administrative 
staff, communications units, movement control teams, logistics units, 
special forces units and civil affairs personnel under NATO operational 
control. The enabling force will have combat capability for force 
protection. These forces will be fully authorized and equipped to defend 
themselves, and will be backed by U.S. and NATO forces in the theater of 
operations, including U.S. air assets supporting Deny Flight and an 
amphibious reaction force in the Adriatic that are ready and able to 
counter any threat to their safety. In addition, British and other 
elements of the U.N. Protection Force/Rapid Reaction Force (UNPROFOR/
RRF) in Bosnia will be available to protect U.S. forces. It is 
envisioned that the IFOR main body will begin to deploy following the 
signature of the peace agreement in Paris and the issuance of final NATO 
and U.S. orders. The enabling force will thereafter remain as part of 
the IFOR.
    The U.S. forces participating in the enabling force being deployed 
to Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia are drawn largely from U.S. forces 
stationed in Germany. Among the nations providing forces to the enabling 
force are the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Canada. In total, 
approximately 2,600 troops will be deployed as part of the enabling 
force.
    I authorized these deployments in conjunction with our NATO allies 
following NAC decisions to permit implementation of the peace agreement 
following its formal signing. I have directed the participation of U.S. 
forces in these operations pursuant to my constitutional authority to 
conduct the foreign relations of the United States and as Commander in 
Chief and Chief Executive.
    I am providing this report as part of my efforts to keep the 
Congress fully informed about developments in the former Yugoslavia, 
consistent with the War Powers Resolution.
    Sincerely,
                                            William J. Clinton

Note: Identical letters were sent to Newt Gingrich, Speaker of the House 
of Representatives, and Strom Thurmond, President pro tempore of the 
Senate. This letter was released by the Office of the Press Secretary on 
December 7.