Forum of the House Armed Services Committee - Bosnia and the Dayton Peace Accords

Federal News Service July 12, 2004 Monday

July 12, 2004 Monday

HEADLINE: FORUM OF THE HOUSE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE

SUBJECT: BOSNIA AND THE DAYTON PEACE ACCORDS

CHAIRED BY: REPRESENTATIVE MICHAEL TURNER (R-OH)

WITNESSES: MIRZA KUSLIJUGIC, AMBASSADOR OF BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA TO THE U.N.; IGOR DAVIDOVIC, AMBASSADOR OF BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA TO THE U.S.; MAJOR GENERAL VIRGIL PACKETT, COMMANDER, BOSNIA STABILIZATION FORCE; MAJOR GENERAL JAMES DARDEN, DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR PLANS AND POLICY, U.S. EUROPEAN COMMAND

LOCATION: 2212 RAYBURN HOUSE OFFICE BUILDING, WASHINGTON, D.C.

BODY:

REP. TURNER: Well, good afternoon. I'd like to welcome everyone to the issues forum from the House Armed Services Committee. This issues forum is entitled "Winning the Peace Under the Dayton Peace Accords, Sustaining Democracy in Bosnia."

As United States armed forces undertake a broad spectrum of stabilization and anti-insurgency missions throughout the world, we meet today to take stock of one recent exercise in nation-building that is about to enter a new phase. The Dayton peace accords an end to years of ethnic warfare in Bosnia-Herzegovina, and put that nation on a path toward democracy and growth. By the end of this year, NATO will transfer command of treaty-based military operations to European Union forces. So it seems timely to as what have we learned from the successes and setbacks under the Dayton accords, and what is our ongoing mission in Bosnia.

Since 1995, Bosnians have made significant achievements in rebuilding their nation. Sharply reduced levels of inter-ethnic violence, restored freedom of movement, and the return of many refugees and displaced persons are healing the wounds of a war fought by neighbor against neighbor. The holding of largely free and fair elections and creations of institutions of a democratic state have sparked aspirations for full economic and political integration into the European system.

In June I went to Bosnia to learn about the status of the Dayton peace accords, the security situation on the grounds, and plans for the withdrawal of U.S. troops. It was not my first visit there. As mayor of Dayton when the accords were negotiated, I and the citizens of the city of Dayton developed a special affinity for the people of Bosnia. We forged a sister-city relationship with Sarajevo, and have over the years engaged in cultural exchanges and other efforts to build a permanent bridge from our city in the new world to theirs in new Europe.

But real challenges remain to be overcome before the full promise of the Dayton accords is fulfilled. The failure by some in Bosnia to mount a credible effort to apprehended indicted war criminals seriously undermines international confidence and the depth and durability of the peace. For that reason, NATO ministers meeting in Istanbul last month declined to invite Bosnia to join the Partnership for Peace program.

The emergence of radical Islamic elements among Bosnia's largely secular Muslims adds counterterrorism to an already complex security mission.

On the 50th anniversary of Winston Churchill's Iron Curtain speech at Westminster College, Former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher described the unfolding dynamics of the post-Cold War world. She said, "Like a giant refrigerator that had finally broken down after years of poor maintenance, Soviet empire in its collapse released all of the ills of ethnic, social and political backwardness which it had frozen in suspended animation for so long."

In Bosnia we have a clear but very real example of how the seeds of civil society, democracy and prosperity can be sown in the historically barren fields that she saw.

We have with us four very distinguished panelists. We have Ambassador Igor Davidovic, ambassador of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the United States; Ambassador Mirza Kusljugic, permanent representative of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the United Nations; Major General James Darden, U.S. Army Reserve deputy director, plans and policy, U.S. European Command; Major General Virgil Packett, U.S. Army commander, Stabilization Force, SFOR, in Bosnia-Herzegovina, headquartered in Sarajevo.

At this time I'd like to recognize Ms. Tauscher as our ranking member.

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REP. TURNER: Thank you. Do any other members wish to make opening comments before we hear from our panelists?

REP. : I would just like to also thank the witnesses and our guests here today, and thank you for all your work in the past. And we very much look forward to what you have to say. I'd also like to thank Mr. Turner for aggressively this to get this done. We have a lot to learn. As Ms. Tauscher said, there are many, many lessons that we need to apply to our current situation. So we very much look forward to hearing from you. Thanks, Mr. Chairman.

REP. TURNER: Thank you. Any other opening comments? If not, we will begin with our panelists. We are going to have their statements between five and ten minutes. Everyone here does have their written statements also, which we've just distributed to them today as they attended the issues forum. We'll begin with Ambassador Davidovic, ambassador of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the United States.

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REP. TURNER: Thank you, Mr. Ambassador.

As we begin with the rest of the panelists, if you would all check your mikes and move them up more closely so that you're speaking directly into them, I think it might help in the sound system in this room.

And we'll go next to Ambassador Kusljugic, permanent representative of Bosnia Hercegovina to the United Nations.

Ambassador?

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REP. TURNER: Thank you, Ambassador.

And next we'll go to Major General Virgil Packett, U.S. Army commander, Stabilization Force, SFOR, in Bosnia-Hercegovina, which is headquartered in Sarajevo.

General, welcome.

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REP. TURNER: Thank you, General.

Next, we'll hear from our panelist, Major General James Darden, U.S. Army Reserve deputy director of plans and policy, U.S.-European Command.

General.

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REP. TURNER: Thank you, General.

I want to thank all of our participants today, and your interest in providing information that's important to this special issues forum as we look at the issue of the Dayton Peace Accords, Bosnia lessons learned, and the efforts to apply them elsewhere.

I have a specific interest in the information that you provided, not just because the treat that brought peace to this area bears the name of the city from which I'm from-my hometown of Dayton, Ohio-but also because this is a U.S. success. As the ambassadors have indicated, where Europe and the U.N. either failed to act or acted and failed, the United States, by participating in this effort, resulted in peace and success. And although we're not completely finished, as an international community or with the United States involvement, no one could define the past participation in this as anything but a success.

General Packett, as I was with you last month in Bosnia, most of the discussion in Bosnia focused on the issue of the Partnership For Peace and Bosnia's application to participate in that through NATO. NATO decided at the Istanbul summit not to admit Bosnia to the Partnership For Peace, a decision that's largely attributed to the lack of war criminal apprehension.

There was much discussion when I was there of apprehension that if the Partnership For Peace application did not result in Bosnia being admitted, that there might be entrenchment of ethnic divisions and that it might be a disincentive for further reforms and for the apprehension of war criminals. Others, of course, thought it would be an incentive, and the process of the Partnership For Peace could lay out a process for Bosnia to join Europe.

So my question really goes to, now that Istanbul has concluded, Bosnia was not admitted to Partnership For Peace, but continues to have it as a goal, what is the reaction in Bosnia? Is it an incentive or a disincentive? And do we see that Bosnia will be on the path to ultimately join the Partnership For Peace?

Ambassador Davidovic, we'll start with you.

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REP. TURNER: Thank you.

Ambassador Kusljugic.

AMB. KUSLJUGIC: Partnership for Peace is very important at this moment for Bosnia-Hercegovina not only as a first step towards NATO, but also as a condition that is set forth by the European Union for the further negotiation of Stabilization and Association agreement. Some say that the fact that we were not invited or admitted to Partnership for Peace in a way reflects that the whole Bosnia is again hostage of Karadzic-likes; that you're now, in spite of the reforms and success in transforming the reforms-I just want to remind you that two years ago, when we were involved in this institutional lobbying for reform in the sector of security, we were-it was difficult to imagine that we would have a minister of defense visiting Washington, talking to Pentagon just a few months ago.

However, for me the most important thing is what do we do now, how do we go from here?

And obviously, the most important thing is how to apprehend those who are still at large. When Jacques Kline gave the last statement to the Security Council, when the United Nations mission was terminated, he indicated that there is no clear division of responsibility who should do what in Bosnia-locals and internationals-in order to apprehend the most-wanted indicted war criminals. So that's, I think, the most important at the moment, to clarify who will be doing what-Europe Union mission, NATO, local authorities, and above all, what will be the responsibility and authority on the state-level institutions, because as you may know, or as you probably know, the state-level law enforcement institutions have no authority to intervene in this area.

So I wouldn't really elaborate what was the reaction. Here we are; what do we do next? For me, the most important is that next time when the evaluation is done, that we clearly know who failed. I again repeat that I really have doubts that local authorities alone can fulfill the obligation to apprehend indicted war criminals without active support from the international community.

REP. TURNER: General Packett?

GEN. PACKETT: There have clearly been some positive impacts from the result of the invitation or lack of invitation in Istanbul. For the first time that I've seen, there's been a public statement by the president of the Republic of Srpska that said that it is in fact their responsibility now to do this. Many people look at SFOR with all of the capability and think it's SFOR's responsibility to do this. It's clearly SFOR's mission to support the ICTY in any form or fashion that we can do that. It's the country's responsibility and obligation to its people, and we're working towards that goal.

So from that respect, we've seen public statements now, at least the leadership. Recently, the high rep just terminated 59 members of the SDS Party, Karadzic's party, that imploded on him. And right now it looks like that has in fact had another positive effort here. It has not had a negative impact; as a matter of fact, the public opinion said why did it take you so long to do that? Well, they're beginning to see the results that can achieve and can, in fact, take place there.HS ARM SVC/FORUM ON BOSNIA/DAYTON PAGE 29 07/12/2002 .STX

So we're not seeing a negative impact on that; I think we're seeing a positive impact. But again, the police reforms that have taken place, those are positive initiatives. It's going to take a little time to grow that, because right now the country flat doesn't have the capability to go out and figure out how to share intelligence, you know. They collected intelligence on each other for the last 50 or 60 years, so now they're trying to figure out how they can work together and make this thing happen. And it's slowly beginning to happen; again, those foundations are there, but it's going to take a little while to mature and work towards a common goal.

The other fact is that NATO has not simply abandoned the process, and at the end of this month, a NATO ship is going to go into the port of Neum. And again, that's a demonstration-we've got some air operations that are going to fly an air CAP over the restoration ceremony of the Stari Most bridge. That's the 13th-century bridge that was built in Mostar that was destroyed, and now it's finally been rebuilt. Going to bring that together with a ceremony on the 23rd of this month, but NATO's involved in that, just like the Srebrenica ceremony that was this past Sunday, yesterday. The fact of the matter is the country's demonstrated that it can come together and work in a positive vein, and I think you're beginning to see that in spades now.

REP. TURNER: General Darden, additional comment?

GEN. DARDEN: The answer that General Packett gave is certainly the U.S. position, and I would only add that U.S. supports the admission of Bosnia into Partnership For Peace once Bosnia has fulfilled the requirements established by NATO, and expressly the turn-in of the war criminals.

REP. TURNER: Thank you.

Ms. Tauscher.

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REP. TURNER: Thank you, Ms. Tauscher.

We'll turn next to Mr. Kline.

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REP. TURNER: Mr. Kline.

Mr. Snyder.

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REP. TURNER: Thank you, Mr. Snyder.

Mr. Schrock.

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REP. TURNER: Thank you, Mr. Schrock.

Ms. Davis?

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REP. TURNER: Good. Now, for follow-up questions. Ms. Tauscher?

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REP. TURNER: Mr. Schrock.

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REP. SCHROCK: Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

REP. TURNER: Thank you.

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REP. TURNER: Thank you.

General Packett, Ms. Tauscher reminded me of an issue that, in fact, you and I had discussed when we were in Tuzla. And that is, did you know in one of my trips I was in Tuzla at Eagle Base at the time when the Russians broke from their peacekeeping mission and crossed over the border in Kosovo for the airport in Kosovo. And obviously one of the lessons learned can be the-their participation.

Could-General Darden and General Packett, could you speak for just a couple moments on the issue of the challenges and the opportunities of the Russian participation in this peacekeeping effort?

GEN. DARDEN: I'll let General-that's such an easy question, I'll let General Packett (have at it ?). (Laughter).

GEN. PACKETT: This has been my prevailing attitude through over 30 years of bouncing around in the military. We, again, are generally better together than not, and as I say that, this might be closer to one of those 51 percent-49 percent deals. We had some real challenges with our Russian allies. There was a different level of experience. There was a different level of leadership involvement.

When I was there in 1997, again, I saw a different level of Russian soldier there than we saw here the last couple of years. We had some real challenges with leadership that would get involved in crime and corruption and didn't have the same values that American soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines and Coast Guard have. We had some real disciplinary issues in terms of how you conduct patrols, and when you say go out on a patrol, what does that really mean? What does it mean that you actually go out and see and do? And what do you report?

So there were some challenges with that, but I'll just tell you, I think that we need to continue to engage our allies in Russia, and we need to be very clearly definitive with regard to what the expectations are with them as well.

REP. TURNER: Well, gentlemen, I want to thank you for participating in our panel today.

For both the ambassadors: obviously you know you have a strong commitment from the United States, and certainly a very strong relationship with the people of Dayton, Ohio, as a result of the Dayton Peace Accords.

To both of our generals, I want to thank you for participating. And General Packett, as I've said to you many times, your enthusiasm and dedication to success is infectious, and it's always great to hear from you. And I appreciate your having traveled here from Sarajevo to participate in this forum, and your real commitment to both that country and the cause of democracy.

Unfortunately, due to East Coast weather, Ambassador Holbrooke was unable to be with us here today. We have given him the opportunity to submit his comments in writing, as the other members of the panel have; that would be available for each of the members of the Armed Services Committee. Apparently-and I spoke to him today-his efforts to get here commenced at 5:30 in the morning, so he's incredibly frustrated that he was not able to join us.

But I want to thank you for your participation today as we talk about this important issue of the transition to democracy. There's no question, the successes and experiences of Bosnia, although ongoing, are important to us as we look to Afghanistan and Iraq and for our continuing obligations in relationship with Bosnia.

So I want to thank you. Thank you, all the members of the Armed Services Committee for participating. And with that we will be adjourned.

REP. ELLEN O. TAUSCHER: Thank you.