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“FOLLOW-ON FORCE IN BOSNIA” mentioning the U.S. Dept of State was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E844 on May 20, 1996.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
FOLLOW-ON FORCE IN BOSNIA
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HON. LEE H. HAMILTON
of indiana
in the house of representatives
Monday, May 20, 1996
Mr. HAMILTON. Mr. Speaker, during a hearing in the International Relations Committee last month on the situation in Bosnia, Under Secretary of State Peter Tarnoff was asked to address the important issue of what will happen in Bosnia after the NATO-led peace implementation force, IFOR, is withdrawn, starting after the planned Bosnian elections, scheduled for mid-September of this year.
Following the hearing I requested Under Secretary Tarnoff to respond in more detail, in writing, about the status of planning for a possible follow-on force in Bosnia. In his letter the Under Secretary emphasizes that ``The administration remains committed to completing IFOR's mission in approximately 1 year.'' He also stresses that ``the completion of IFOR's mission will not mean the end of the international community's efforts to support peace and economic reconstruction in Bosnia. The United States will continue to assist in these important international efforts.''
I am inserting the full text of Under Secretary Tarnoff's letter in the Record so that Members of Congress can better understand the administration's approach to the critical issue of the timing of the withdrawal of IFOR and the planning for a possible follow-on force.
U.S. Department of State,
Washington, DC, May 15, 1996.Hon. Lee H. Hamilton,U.S. House of Representatives.
Dear Congressman Hamilton: Under Secretary Tarnoff has requested that I respond to your letter of April 25, in which you asked about the status of planning for a follow-on force in Bosnia.
From the beginning of his Administration the President made clear that he was prepared to support the deployment of U.S. forces in conjunction with a peace agreement in Bosnia. Following the successful negotiation of the Dayton accords, the President indicated his intention to deploy approximately 20,000 U.S. ground troops as part of the NATO-led IFOR. The Dayton Accords, United Nations Security Council Resolution 1031 authorizing IFOR, and the NATO Operational Plan governing IFOR's deployment set forth a duration of
``approximately one year'' or ``about 12 months''. As the President stated in his November 27, 1995, address to the nation, ``Our Joint Chiefs of Staff have concluded that this mission should and will take about one year.'' The President subsequently wrote to House Speaker Gingrich on December 21, saying, ``And I expect, that the military mission can be accomplished in about a year.'' This has been--and remains--Administration policy.
On April 30, the President approved an approach regarding the drawdown of troops in Bosnia consistent with previous Administration and NATO policy. Specifically, it recognized that IFOR will play a crucial role in providing security for upcoming Bosnian elections, which, according to the Dayton Agreement, are to be held by mid-September. To that end, IFOR should remain at full strength through the Bosnian elections. The pace and extent of the drawdown in the period between the Bosnian elections and the conclusion of IFOR's mandate on December 20 will be determined by General Joulwan and other senior NATO military officials, in consultation with NATO's North Atlantic Council.
IFOR should retain until December 20, 1996 sufficient forces to accomplish its full mission and protect the lives of its personnel including U.S. troops. This approach will mean that IFOR would complete its drawdown in the weeks after December 20, on a schedule and in a manner consistent with logistical requirements and the safety of our troops.
The Administration remains committed to completing IFOR's mission in approximately one year. It was with this in mind and in the context of discussions of the presence of the IPTF or others in a post-IFOR environment in which Under Secretary Tarnoff stated that ``we are not contemplating any organized military force.''
In the referenced New York Times piece, Secretary Perry noted, ``As we get nearer that December date we're going to have to take a look and say, `What is the likelihood of a war starting up again?' If we conclude that there's a danger, then the question that NATO will have to answer is what kind of force deployment do we need to provide an adequate deterrence for that not happening.'' It is only prudent that this Administration and NATO should review, as we approach fall, the specific security situation in Bosnia. However, neither this Administration nor NATO is planning at this time to deploy a follow-on force in Bosnia.
Of course, the completion of IFOR's mission will not mean the end of the international community's efforts to support peace and economic reconstruction in Bosnia. Numerous tasks will continue, including the return of refugees and displaced persons, arms control and military stabilization, removal of land mines, investigations by the International Criminal Tribunal, and the mending of civil, political, and economic institutions damaged or destroyed by the war. The United States will continue to assist in these important international efforts.
Thank you for forwarding your concerns with respect to these important issues. I hope you have found this helpful.
Sincerely,
Barbara Larkin,
Acting Assistant Secretaryfor Legislative Affairs.
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