Press Release (97)107 17 Sept. 1997

Statement by Secretary General of NATO, Dr. Javier Solana, on the Crash of UN Helicopter in Bosnia and Herzegovina I am deeply distressed by this morning's terrible crash of a UN helicopter transporting international officials near Gornji Vakuf in Bosnia and Herzegovina. I wish to express my condolences to the governments, organizations, families and friends of all those who perished in this dreadful crash. They all paid the ultimate price by giving their lives in the execution of the international community's efforts towards bringing peace in this troubled region. I wish to pay special tribute to Ambassador Gerd Wagner, whom I saw just last Friday in Sarajevo. His death constitutes a major loss to the Bosnian peace effort. I can only hope that the Parties to the Dayton Peace Agreement commemorate his loss of life by redoubling their efforts to achieve the goal of a lasting peace.