THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
For
Immediate Release July 26, 2000
TEXT OF A LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT
TO THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
AND THE PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE OF THE SENATE
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
hos-tilities, stabilize and consolidate the peace in Bosnia and
Herzegovina, contri-bute 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. Speci-fically,
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
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