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THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary


For Immediate Release October 11, 1995

STATEMENT BY THE PRESS SECRETARY

The President welcomes the agreement reached today by the Bosnian parties to implement last week's agreement on a country-wide cease-fire, beginning at one minute past midnight Thursday morning Bosnian time. We appreciate the efforts of Russia and Hungary to resolve the problems that delayed the resumption of natural gas deliveries to Sarajevo, and the work of the UN in restoring electricity to the city.

The fulfillment of the conditions for the cease-fire is an important additional step toward ending the hardships that the people of Sarajevo have had to endure throughout this tragic conflict. The implementation of the cease-fire should give further impetus to the diplomatic efforts of U.S. negotiators, together with their Contact Group partners, to complete a political settlement.

The President calls on all the parties to abide by the terms of the cease-fire and to seize the opportunity to work out their differences at the bargaining table.

U.S. negotiators will be returning to the Balkans next week, following a Contact Group meeting in Moscow on October 17, to lay the groundwork for the proximity peace talks that will convene in the United States on October 31.

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