Press Conference Mostar 12 February 1996

Opening Statement by the Secretary General I have been to Mostar many times before, but this is my first visit as NATO Secretary General. My presence in this capacity, together with SACEUR, illustrates NATO's total support for the Federation and in particular for the important work of the EU Administrator, Mr Hans Koschnick. In fact, let me make clear from the beginning that NATO condemns and will not tolerate the kinds of violent acts perpetrated against Mr Koschnick last week. This morning I met with the Commander of IFOR, Admiral Smith, and with Major General Rideau, the Commander of IFOR's Multi-National Division (Southeast). I visited the airport installations and talked to the French IFOR troops serving under MG Rideau. I then met with Hans Koschnick and the two mayors of Mostar. We discussed the next steps in resolving the status of Mostar and reestablishing peace and peaceful coexistence in this city. Next I will visit the Spanish IFOR troops, escorted by their Commander, Brigadier General Zuasti. The Spanish troops know this city well, having been deployed here previously as UN blue helmets. Admiral Smith assures me that Operation JOINT ENDEAVOUR continues on track. IFOR is almost at full strength and we are rapidly integrating force contributions from outside the Alliance, including from Russia. General Joulwan recently escorted the Russian Defence Minister on a visit to the Russian contingent. Both were pleased with the excellent cooperation between NATO and Russian forces -- the type of cooperation that we are striving for in all aspects of the NATO-Russian relationship, and of the IFOR operation as a whole. IFOR is ensuring the cessation of hostilities and actively patrolling the zones of separation. Our soldiers are establishing freedom of movement throughout Bosnia-Herzegovina. They have confirmed and continue to monitor the withdrawal of forces a week ago, at "D+45", from areas to be transferred at "D+90". Of course, IFOR cannot accomplish its mission in isolation. We need the cooperation of the governments and peoples of the region. This includes the cooperation of the Bosniacs and Croats in reinforcing their Federation and making it work both now and into the future as well. A unified Mostar is key to a unified Federation.

Mr. Koschnick has reviewed with me his plans for the delimitation of Mostar's municipal boundaries, and I have discussed these plans with the two mayors. They have my complete support. I have called on the two mayors to put a definitive stop to further violence and to support Mr. Koschnick in creating an open and undivided municipality. IFOR will do its part by helping to ensure the secure conditions necessary for Mr. Koschnick to carry out his task. Let me be blunt about what is at stake here in Mostar. Like much of this region, Mostar is a place where peoples of different ethnic backgrounds and religions coexisted peacefully for centuries. They then fought each other briefly but bitterly. The international community has now gone to extraordinary lengths to help these peoples restore their lives and properties, first by brokering the establishment of the Federation, and then by sending IFOR. But our patience is not eternal. We have come to help but we have not come forever. The peoples of this region, and the people of Mostar and the Federation, must choose: if they choose to return to peaceful coexistence, the helping hand of the international community will remain outstretched. If they choose the path of continued hatred and violence, they and their sponsors will walk down that path alone, isolated from a Europe that is moving towards greater unity and prosperity. I remain confident that they will make the right choice, as I remain confident of IFOR's success -- despite the "bumps in the road" we have encountered this last week. We cannot let this slow our progress toward peace. Admiral Smith is forging ahead with his duties, while reaching out to all Parties. He is backed by the resolve of the Alliance, the forces of IFOR, and the authority to use them if necessary. And so, as SACEUR likes to say: "the mission continues".