HU OSA 350-1-1:562/3

ABC World News

Item

Moving Image

22 minutes

English (Original)

Tonight, December 8, continued from tape 707 and December 14, 15, 19, 1995, and CBS Evening News with Dan Rather, unidentified days, may be December 14, 19, 1995

Not Restricted

television program

Report is cut off. Sheila MacVicar reports on the Swedish UN peace keepers in the Posavina Corridor. This force will join the incoming NATO forces. Several soldiers, including Captain Carl Tiselius, Major Jonas Frobert, speak and give advice for the American troops. December 12: A major obstacle has been overcome at the peace conference. John McWethy reports from Tuzla on the release of the two French pilots who were shot down and held prisoner by the Bosnian Serbs. The pilots were released only after Milosevic threatened to arrest Mladic if he does not release them. The Bosnian Serb army released a video shot after the French pilots were captured in the summer during a bombing raid on Bosnian Serb territory. In Tuzla, American troops were having difficulty landing cargo planes because of inclement weather. Bosnian Serbs refused to cooperate with an American patrol team in central Bosnia, saying that Americans will not be welcome even when a peace agreement is signed. The UN base in Tuzla is still within range of Bosnian Serb artillery in nearby hills. However, UN peacekeepers who have been in Bosnia since the war started say that the Americans are overreacting to the threats they will face in Bosnia. Statements are made by U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel Sid Kooyman, UN peacekeeper Sergeant Major Harries, and Mark Bartolini, International Rescue Committee. Footage included: Bosnian Serb General Ratko Mladic saying "bon voyage" to the French soldiers while handing them over to the French Chief of Staff, Mladic at a press conference after the hand-over of the pilots, video footage of the shot-down French plane and the French soldiers being held up by Bosnian Serb soldiers, U.S. cargo planes landing on Tuzla airport in dense fog. Sheila MacVicar reports from Sarajevo on the referendum where Bosnian Serbs were asked whether they were willing to live under Bosnian government rule. Even though they came out to the referendum, most feel their opinion will not change the peace agreement. Several Bosnian Serb Sarajevans are interviewed and the general consensus is that the Serbs fear that the Muslims will kill them in retaliation for the war – and since almost every family has a male member serving in the Bosnian Serb army, they say that without an amnesty they will not be safe. The Bosnian government has given assurances that Serbs not accused of war crimes will be well treated, but many Bosnian Serbs distrust this assurance. Footage includes pictures of Bosnian Serb-held Sarajevo suburbs in the winter, and Bosnian Serbs standing in line to cast their ballots. Peter Jennings reports on how in Germany the thousands of land mines that were placed around the border along East and West Germany had been cleared. In Bosnia, there are an estimated two to three million mines left to be cleared. December 13: Forest Sawyer reports on President Clinton's trip to Paris for the signing of the peace treaty, while Congress continues to debate President Clinton's decision to send troops to Bosnia. The Senate decided not to cut the funds, but continued to debate if they should condemn Clinton's Bosnia policy anyway. John Cochran reports on the House vote regarding the Senate debate about whether to cut the funding for the Bosnia plan. President Clinton did his lobbying from the White House with holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel, who has always supported U.S. involvement in Bosnia. House Republicans are more in favor of completely cutting off the funding for the troops than the Senate are. Congress’ mixed messages regarding Bosnia have made it a peripheral player in the Bosnian conflict. Statements are made by Senator Phil Gramm, Senator Bob Dole, Senator Dianne Feinstein, Vice President Al Gore, and President Clinton, and Representative Joe Scarborough. Footage includes President Clinton boarding a plane to Paris, Congress members debating, and President Clinton with Elie Wisel. John McWethy reports from Tuzla on the poor weather conditions which are causing delays in the initial American troop preparations for the Bosnian peace mission. There are fewer U.S. troops than were expected, and the ones that are in Tuzla are scouting for living quarters at a UN base occupied by Pakistani soldiers. Only half the planes scheduled to land actually did so. In the upcoming months, small teams of U.S. soldiers will be placed with each non-NATO contingent of troops, making sure they understand the orders given by U.S. commanders. More than 10,000 non-U.S. soldiers will be operating under U.S. command. Statements are made by U.S. Air Force M/Sergeant Edward McDonald, U.S. Army Major Joe Ciampini, and U.S. Army Major Taylor Beittie. Other footage included: snowed out U.S. satellite, planes trying to land in dense fog, U.S. soldiers being snowed on at Tuzla airport, and a U.S. commander shaking hands with a Pakistani soldier. A labor strike going on in Paris has been making the Bosnian peace treaty signing a traffic and logistics nightmare. Under the peace agreement, all 3.5 million refugees have the right to return home. Jim Whooten reports on refugee children in Tuzla who will continue to remain displaced despite the treaty's promise of repatriation. Housed in an old school building, many of these children saw their mothers die and do not know if their fathers are alive. The reality of the promise of repatriation for Bosnian refugees seems to be simply an illusion. Due to the circumstances, these children cannot go home. Statements are made by several refugees. Footage is available of refugee children having a snowball fight, refugees housed in the school building, and children dancing at the orphanage. CBS News: In Tuzla, Dan Rather reports on Bosnian Muslim refugees living in refugee camps and villages. A refugee camp is shown where homes were built by a Swedish humanitarian organization. Most of the refugees are women and children, whose husbands and fathers stayed at the front. All of the refugees hope that they will be able to go home one day, but realize that is not possible. Interviewed is Sevala Abdic, a Bosnian Muslim refugee woman, whose husband stayed behind to defend Srebrenica after it was overrun by Bosnian Serb forces. Other footage includes pictures of Bosnian women and children separated from their men after Srebrenica was overrun by Bosnian Serb forces, Bosnian Serb General Ratko Mladic and UN observers standing by as Bosnian Muslims are separated, and life in the refugee camp. December 14, 1998: Peter Jennings reports form Paris on the signing of the Paris Peace Treaty. This peace would have not been possible without President Clinton leading the way in negotiations. Even though the treaty was signed there still were three minor rocket attacks in Sarajevo. Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic signed for the Bosnian Serbs, and Bosnian government President Alija Izetbegovic stated that signing the treaty was like taking a bitter pill. Includes footage of a young woman crying, a body being carried in a blanket, and a building hit by a rocket. President Clinton was happy that Congress failed to undermine his Bosnia plan. Resolutions to cut off funding for U.S. troops in Bosnia were defeated in Congress. Brit Hume reports on President Clinton’s meeting in Paris with Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic, Croatian President Franjo Tudjman, and Bosnian government President Alija Izetbegovic. President Clinton stated that all three leaders are aware of what the problems are, and are confident they can be overcome. He announced an $85 million economic aid package for Bosnia, adding that no outside force can guarantee a lasting peace in Bosnia. He also appealed to all Bosnians to make the best of the peace agreement for the sake of future generations. The agreement signed in Paris sets off the large scale deployment of American and other troops. John McWethy reports on the deployment of U.S. troops in Bosnia and the continuing weather problems. While dense fog has caused a major setback for the moving of troops and equipment from Italy, U.S. troops in Germany and Hungary continue with their move towards Bosnia. With the peace agreement now signed, serious deadlines will have to be met, some of which might need American firepower. In the following days, the treaty requires that all Bosnian Serb radars be shut down, all prisoners of war be released, all civilians give up their weapons, and all foreign troops leave the country. The report is cut off. A statement is made by U.S. Air Force Colonel Neal Patton. Footage includes U.S. troops in Bosnia and Germany, a Bosnian Serb antiaircraft radar, prisoners of war, civilians carrying rifles, and the mujahedin.