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THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release April 17, 1996

STATEMENT BY THE PRESS SECRETARY

McLarty Trip to the Gulf

President Clinton's Bosnia peace initiative took another important step forward earlier this week when key Arab states committed about $100 million to fund the U.S.-led train and equip program.

Presidential Counselor Mack McLarty and a senior interagency team met April 14-15 with Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah bin Abd al-Aziz Al-Saud; Sheikh Zayid bin Sultan al-Nuhayyan, President of the United Arab Emirates; Sheikh Jabir al-Ahmed al-Sabah, Amir of Kuwait; and other top officials. Counselor McLarty delivered personal messages from the President stressing the importance of the train and equip program to the success of the Dayton Accords.

The President is deeply gratified by the generosity and understanding of the response to the McLarty mission. The mission is one element in a broad and continuing U.S. effort to mobilize donors in support of the process of establishing a durable military balance in Bosnia.

The purpose of the train and equip program is to provide the Bosnian Federation the military capability it needs to deter attacks in the future and defend its people and territory should deterrence fail. The success of the McLarty mission will enable the training element of the train and equip program to move ahead in a timely manner. Combined with the U.S. commitment of $100 million in military equipment, the start-up training in Bosnia will provide a solid foundation for improving the military capability of the Bosnian Federation.

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