December 14, 1995
Web Posted at: 3:15 p.m. EST (2015 GMT)
PARIS (CNN) -- Americans can expect casualties during the NATO mission to Bosnia, from accidents if nothing else, U.S. President Bill Clinton said Thursday after the signing of the Balkan peace treaty in Paris.
"We have to anticipate casualties because we have so many people moving around handling dangerous weapons (and) heavy equipment under difficult weather circumstances," Clinton said during an exclusive interview with CNN's White House Senior Correspondent Wolf Blitzer.
The president did not address concerns over casualties not caused by accidents, despite scattered violence in Bosnia Thursday that raised the specter of a weakening cease-fire.
Clinton attributed the incidents -- the shelling of a hotel in Sarajevo and an attack on a French helicopter -- to tensions in and around Sarajevo, where Bosnian Serbs are coming under the jurisdiction of the Bosnia-Croat Federation. He said he discussed the situation with the three Balkan presidents, who agreed to do what they can to quell the violence.
Clinton said casualties will not deter U.S. participation in the 60,000-troop NATO mission. "We're not going to cut and run as long as there is a mission to perform," he said.
While acknowledging the risks in the peacekeeping mission, Clinton expressed confidence in the durability of the peace treaty. "I must say this is a very important day for peace in the world, and our country will be much better off if this peace holds and if Europe can get back to its march toward democracy and freedom," he said. (132K AIFF sound or 132K WAV sound)
He said he would deem the mission a success if American troops achieve all of the goals set out in the "military annex" to the Dayton peace accord. Among the goals he outlined were maintaining the cease-fire, supervising the transfer of territory, and securing a climate in which elections can be held and economic reconstruction can begin.
Asked if he was comfortable shaking the hand of Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic, given his role in violence against Bosnian Muslims, Clinton said Milosevic had so far demonstrated a commitment to peace and he was prepared to work with him so long as he maintains that commitment.
And Clinton said it does not trouble him that some U.S. humanitarian aid will find its way to Bosnian Serbs, whom many hold responsible for the war.
"It's important that everybody see the benefits of peace, so that they don't return to war," he said. (55K AIFF sound or 55K WAV sound)
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