(2 Sep 1995) English/Nat
President Clinton has welcomed next week's Balkan peace summit as a "positive step forward" on a long road.
The U-S has announced that foreign ministers from Bosnia, Croatia and Serbia will hold talks in Geneva to lay the groundwork for a peace deal.
But speaking in Hawaii, the President warned that no once should doubt NATO's resolve to prevent the further slaughter of civilians.
During a speech in Honolulu, President Clinton gave his seal of approval to the new round of peace talks.
SOUNDBITE:
"We were able to announce that the foreign ministers of Bosnia Croatia and Serbia have agreed to meet late next week in Geneva to try to reach agreement on the basic principles for a settlement for peace."
SUPER CAPTION: President Clinton
But Clinton warned there was still a long way to go.
SOUNDBITE:
"This is a positive step forward but much remains to be done. Our own negotiating team will continue to do its work bringing the parties together and as I said yesterday no one should doubt NATO's resolve to prevent the further slaughter of innocent civilians in Sarajevo and the other safe areas in Bosnia. I know that every American shares my pride in the skill and professionalism the bravery and the success of our pilots and their crews and their NATO colleagues in the last few days."
SUPER CAPTION: President Clinton
Back in Washington, State Department spokesman, Nicholas Burns also pressed for a negotiated settlement.
SOUNDBITE:
" If the Bosnian Serbs felt at one time that they could achieve a military victory in this conflict they certainly don't believe that today and no one else does either. I think that there is a impetus now and a momentum towards peace."
SUPER CAPTION: Nicholas Burns, State Department Spokesman
But he also sounded a note of caution.
SOUNDBITE:
"There is no detailed blueprint now for a series of meetings. There is a commitment to this meeting in Geneva and there's a commitment to try and get deeply involved to the issues that are central to the peace process but we're going to have to take this one step at a time."
SUPER CAPTION: Nicholas Burns, State Department Spokesman
The first and most crucial step comes when the representatives of the former Yugoslavia gather at the negotiating table in Geneva.
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