




			   THE WHITE HOUSE

		    Office of the Press Secretary
______________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release                             April 10, 1994     

	     
		       REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
			     TO THE POOL
	     
	     
			  The South Portico
	     

3:55 P.M. EDT
	     
	     
	     THE PRESIDENT:  Today, while negotiations were being 
held on a cease-fire in Bosnia, the Serbs launched a new attack on 
Gorazde.  These attacks have resulted in heavy casualties and have 
put United Nations personnel there at risk.
	     
	     UNPROFOR Commander General Rose requested and received 
authorization from U.N. civilian authorities to receive NATO close 
air support.  Under existing authority and policy, NATO forces 
promptly responded.  U.S. F-16 aircraft under NATO command attacked 
at least one target identified by UNPROFOR.  French aircraft under 
NATO are now conducting a damage assessment.
	     
	     We have said we would act if we were requested to do so.  
We have now done so and will do so again if we are requested.  The 
Serbs should cease their attacks on Gorazde and should pull back.  
The talks on cessation of hostilities in Bosnia should resume.  We 
were at quite an important point in these discussions when these 
attacks interrupted the progress of the discussions, and I very much 
hope that now the attacks will cease, that the Serbs will pull back, 
that the talks will resume on cessation of hostilities.
	     
	     I have a great deal of confidence in General Rose's 
determination.  We strongly supported his decision, and I applaud the 
rapid response of the U.N. civilian authorities.
	     
	     Q    What about Serb retaliation, sir?
	     
	     THE PRESIDENT:  Well, I have no reason to believe there 
will be any.  We were retaliating.  We -- the United Nations made it 
absolutely clear that there were U.N. personnel in Gorazde, that an 
attack on the town would be interpreted as a clear violation of the 
rules.  And it happened anyway.  General Rose asked for the air 
support and civilian authorities approved it in a prompt fashion, and 
we supported it.
	     
	     Q    After the bombing raid, we had reports that there 
were antiaircraft missiles fired into the suburbs.  Do you know --
	     
	     THE PRESIDENT:  I can't -- excuse me?
	     
	     Q       at the houses.
	     
	     THE PRESIDENT:  I can't confirm that at this time.
	     
	     Q    Mr. President, did you know about the bombing raid 
before it took place?
	     
	     THE PRESIDENT:  We knew that General Rose had asked for 
it before it took place, yes.  With only -- it all happened in fairly 
rapid succession.  There was not a long time delay now between when 
he asked for the support from the civilian authorities and when they 
gave it.  But we've been keeping on top of this, you know.  I -- on 
two successive days, Thursday and Friday, I talked with the Secretary 
of State, Secretary of Defense, and National Security Advisor about 
this.  I was kept informed yesterday, and then we talked again this 
morning.  It became clear to me that General Rose would probably ask, 
and when he asked I was told and we were told as soon as Mr. Akashi 
approved it.
	     
	     Q    So what do you think is going to happen next, sir?  
Do you think this is the end of it, or are you fearful that NATO will 
have to strike again?
	     
	     THE PRESIDENT:  I don't know.  I think we have to be 
firm.  We have seen in the past that when we have been firm in 
support of the United Nations mission, that it has tended to further 
negotiations.  That's all we're trying to do, is to further 
negotiations.  
	     
	     Let me make one other comment, if I might.  As you all 
know, we've been very concerned about the safety of Americans in 
Rwanda.  As far as we know now, the last of the convoys containing 
all Americans who wish to leave has either passed into Burundi or is 
about to pass into Burundi.  
		  
	     And I just want to say a special word of thanks and 
gratitude on behalf of our entire nation to our Ambassador, 
Ambassador Rawson, for the remarkable way in which he has handled 
himself and in which he went about guaranteeing the security and 
safety of American citizens during this very difficult situation.  
There may be more to say about that tomorrow.  But for now, I just 
think we all ought to be grateful to him for the role he played in 
getting our people out to safety.
	     
	     Q    Do you think this is a one time only attack in 
Bosnia?  Do you think we'll have to use our air power again there?
	     
	     THE PRESIDENT:  I think we have to be prepared to do it.  
But I don't have any reason to believe one way or the other -- I'm 
not hopeful, I'm not skeptical.  I just think that -- you know, 
sometimes the command and control is not very tight there; the 
communications aren't all that tight.  This may have been something 
that happened that was not authorized by any central authority on the 
part of the Bosnian Serbs.   So I just think this is a clear 
expression of the will of NATO and the will of the United Nations and 
the UNPROFOR operation there.  And it's a clear call to the Serbs to 
pull back from Gorazde and resume the negotiations.
	     
	     Thank you very much.
	     
	     Q    Do you have a response to the minister who wants to 
legalize drugs, Mr. President?
	     
	     THE PRESIDENT:  I disagree.

				 END4:04 P.M. EDT

