Following the Special Meeting of the North Atlantic Council Brussels 2 Aug. 1993

Press Statement by the Secretary General The North Atlantic Council held a special meeting this afternoon to discuss the situation in Bosnia-Herzegovina. The Council re-affirmed its support for the negotiations in Geneva to ensure a cease-fire and promote a fair and viable settlement acceptable to all parties in Bosnia-Herzegovina, based on the principles of the London Conference.The Alliance is willing to participate in the implementation of such a settlement under the authority of the UN Security Council. The Allies regard the dire humanitarian situation in Bosnia- Herzegovina and particularly in Sarajevo, including repeated violations of cease-fires, as unacceptable.They warn the parties to the conflict of their determination to take effective action in support of UN Security Council decisions. Since 22 July the Alliance has been ready to provide protective air power in case of attack against UNPROFOR in the performance of its overall mandate, on the basis of UN Security Council Resolution 836. The Alliance has now decided to make immediate preparations for undertaking, in the event that the strangulation of Sarajevo and other areas continues, including wide-scale interference with humanitarian assistance, stronger measures including air strikes against those responsible, Bosnian Serbs and others, in Bosnia-Herzegovina. These measures will be under the authority of the United Nations Security Council and within the framework of relevant UN Security Council resolutions, and in support of UNPROFOR in the performance of its overall mandate.For that purpose, full co-ordination will be carried out with the United Nations, including appropriate arrangements between the NATO Military Authorities and UNPROFOR and consultation with UNHCR. The Council has accordingly tasked the NATO Military Authorities urgently to draw up, in close co-ordination with UNPROFOR, operational options for air strikes, including the appropriate command and control and decision-making arrangements for their implementation. The Allies stress the limited humanitarian purposes of the military measures envisaged and urge all the parties to seize this opportunity to achieve a viable settlement. The Council will meet again as soon as the NATO Military Authorities have reported in order to review progress in the Geneva negotiations and the situation in Bosnia-Herzegovina, especially around Sarajevo and the other safe areas. The Council will then consider, in consultation with the UN Authorities, and taking account of any report from the Co-Chairmen of the International Conference on the former Yugoslavia, whether military action by Allies referred to in paragraph 3 is necessary. Any such action by the Alliance will be dependent upon the future behaviour of the parties to the conflict in Bosnia-Herzegovina. I have conveyed the conclusions of our meeting this evening to the UN Secretary-General.