PRESS RELEASE (95)73                      30 August 1995

        STATEMENT BY THE SECRETARY GENERAL OF NATO

NATO aircraft operating within the provisions of Operation
Deny Flight today (30 August 1995) just after 00:00 GMT
(02:00 local) commenced attacks on Bosnian Serb military
targets in Bosnia.  The air operations were initiated
after the UN military commanders concluded, beyond any
reasonable doubt, that Monday's brutal mortar attack in
Sarajevo came from Bosnian Serb positions. The NATO
operation is ongoing and details will be provided as
soon as possible.  

The operations were jointly decided by the Commander in
Chief, Allied Forces Southern Europe and the Force
Commander, UN Peace Forces under UN Security Council
Resolution 836 and in accordance with the North
Atlantic Council's decisions of 25 July and 1 August,
which were endorsed by the UN Secretary General.  

Our objective is to reduce the threat to the Sarajevo Safe
Area and to deter further attacks there or on any other
Safe Area. We hope that this operation will also
demonstrate to the Bosnian Serbs the futility of further
military actions and convince all parties of the
determination of the Alliance to implement its decisions. 


We call upon all parties to exercise restraint.  No one
should seek military benefit from our action.

NATO remains strongly committed to the continued efforts
of the international community, including those of the
Contact Group, to bring peace to the former Yugoslavia
through the diplomatic process.  It is my fervent hope
that our decisive response to Monday's mortar attack will
contribute to attaining a peaceful settlement.

----------------------------------------------------------

COMMUNIQUE DE PRESSE (95)73                30 aout 1995

          DECLARATION DU SECRETAIRE GENERAL DE L'OTAN

Aujourd'hui (30 aout 1995), juste apres 00h00 TU (02h00,
heure locale), des aeronefs de l'OTAN ont mene des
attaques sur des objectifs militaires serbes en Bosnie
dans le cadre de l'operation Deny Flight. Les operations
aeriennes ont commence apres que les Commandants
militaires des Nations unies aient conclu que la violente
attaque au mortier de lundi provenait, a n'en pas douter,
de positions des Serbes bosniaques. Les attaques se
poursuivent et des informations detaillees sur l'operation
seront communiquees des que possible.

Le Commandant en chef des Forces alliees, Sud Europe, et
le Commandant des Forces de paix des Nations unies ont
decide de mener cette operation en application de la
Resolution 836 du Conseil de securite de l'ONU et des
decisions prises par le Conseil de l'Atlantique nord le 25
juillet et le 1er aout, qui ont ete enterinees par le
Secretaire general des Nations unies.

Notre objectif est de reduire la menace qui pese contre la
zone de securite de Sarajevo et de decourager toute autre
attaque sur une quelconque zone de securite. Nous esperons
que cette operation demontrera egalement aux Serbes de
Bosnie la futilite de nouvelles actions militaires et
convaincra toutes les parties que l'Alliance est
determinee a donner suite a ses decisions.

Nous appelons instamment toutes les parties a faire preuve
de moderation.
Nul ne doit chercher a tirer un avantage militaire de
notre action.

L'OTAN continue d'appuyer fermement les efforts constants
que deploie la communaute internationale, y compris le
Groupe de contact, pour apporter la paix a
l'ex-Yougoslavie par l'action diplomatique.  J'ai le
fervent espoir que notre riposte decisive a l'attaque de
lundi contribuera a un reglement pacifique.