[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 36, Number 30 (Monday, July 31, 2000)]
[Pages 1683-1684]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Letter to Congressional Leaders Reporting on the Deployment of Military 
Forces for Stabilization of Areas of the Former Yugoslavia

July 25, 2000

Dear Mr. Speaker:  (Dear Mr. President:)

    In my report to the Congress of January 25, 2000, I provided further 
information on the deployment of combat-equipped U.S. Armed Forces to 
Bosnia and Herzegovina and other states in the region in order to 
participate in and support the North Atlantic Treaty Organization 
(NATO)-led Stabilization Force (SFOR), which began its mission and 
assumed authority from the NATO-led Implementation Force on December 20, 
1996. I am providing this supplemental report, consistent with the War 
Powers Resolution, to help ensure that the Congress is kept fully 
informed on continued U.S. contributions in support of peacekeeping 
efforts in the former Yugoslavia.
    In Resolution 1305 of June 21, 2000, the U.N. Security Council 
authorized member states to continue SFOR for a period of 12 months. The 
mission of SFOR is to provide a continued military presence in order to 
deter hostilities, stabilize and consolidate the peace in Bosnia and 
Herzegovina, contribute to a secure environment and provide, within its 
means and capabilities, selective support to key areas and key civil 
implementation organizations.
    The U.S. force contribution to SFOR in Bosnia and Herzegovina has 
been reduced from approximately 6,200 to 4,600 personnel since my last 
report. United States personnel comprise 19 percent of the total SFOR 
force. In the first half of 2000, 18 NATO nations and 16 others, 
including Russia and Ukraine, have provided military personnel or other 
support to SFOR. Most U.S. forces are assigned to Multinational 
Division, North, centered around the city of Tuzla. In addition, U.S. 
military personnel are deployed to other countries in the region in 
support of those efforts. Specifically, approximately 1,000 U.S. 
military personnel are presently deployed to Hungary, Croatia, and Italy 
in order to provide logistical and other support to SFOR. The U.S. 
forces continue to support SFOR efforts to apprehend persons indicted 
for war crimes. In the last 6 months, U.S. forces have sustained no 
combat-related fatalities.
    I have directed the participation of U.S. Armed Forces in these 
operations pursuant to my constitutional authority to conduct U.S. 
foreign relations and as Commander in Chief and Chief Executive, and in 
accordance with various statutory authorities.
    I am providing this report as part of my efforts to keep the 
Congress fully informed about developments in Bosnia and Herzegovina, 
and other states in the region. I will continue to consult closely with 
the Congress regarding our efforts to foster peace and stability in the 
former Yugoslavia.
     Sincerely,
                                            William J. Clinton

 Note:  Identical letters were sent to J. Dennis Hastert, 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 July 26.

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