U-S / MACEDONIA (S) BY DAVID SWAN/PENTAGON

From: [email protected] (Ioannis Bousnakis)

DATE=5/15/95

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-178857

TITLE=U-S / MACEDONIA (S)

BYLINE=DAVID SWAN

DATELINE=PENTAGON

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: DEFENSE SECRETARY WILLIAM PERRY SAYS THERE IS NO IMMEDIATE NEED FOR MORE AMERICAN PEACEKEEPING TROOPS IN THE FORMER YUGOSLAV REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA. V-O-A'S DAVID SWAN REPORTS, MR. PERRY MET (MONDAY) WITH MACEDONIA'S DEFENSE MINISTER (BLAGOJ HANDZISKI) TO DISCUSS THE WORSENING WAR IN THE BALKANS.

TEXT: THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION FEARS IF FIGHTING ESCALATES IN BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA OR THE U-N PROTECTION FORCE LEAVES, THE WAR COULD MOVE SOUTH TO MACEDONIA AND PERHAPS BEYOND. FOR NOW, MR. PERRY SEES NO NEED TO REINFORCE THE U-S AND SCANDINAVIAN PEACEKEEPERS SERVING IN MACEDONIA.

                         // PERRY ACT //

IN OUR DISCUSSIONS TODAY (MONDAY) THAT WILL COME UP ONLY AS A CONTINGENT POSSIBILITY. WE WILL NOT BE SEEKING COMMITMENTS.

                          // END ACT //

BOTH THE U-S AND MACEDONIAN GOVERNMENTS SAY THEY WANT U-N TROOPS TO STAY IN BOSNIA, BUT THEIR PRESENCE IS JEOPARDIZED BY ATTACKS FROM THE SERBS. FRANCE, WHOSE SOLDIERS HAVE BEEN TARGETED SEVERAL TIMES IN SARAJEVO, HAS WARNED THE SITUATION CAN NOT CONTINUE MUCH LONGER.

REPORTS FROM THE BOSNIAN CAPITAL SAY THERE WAS MORE SHOOTING MONDAY, WHILE HEAVY FIGHTING FLARED IN THE NORTH BETWEEN SERB AND CROAT FORCES. (SIGNED)

NEB/DS/LTJ/BG

15-May-95 1:17 PM EDT (1717 UTC)

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