(3 Jan 1996) English/Nat

The U-S Defence Secretary has visited Bosnia to witness the devastation of war and the unfolding NATO deployment.

William Perry travelled to Sarajevo, where he met NATO commanders and Bosnian President Alija Izetbegovic, and the U-S base in the town of Tuzla.

He also travelled to the Sava River, where U-S troops have built a massive pontoon bridge that provides a gateway to Bosnia for the U-S Army.

Defence Secretary William Perry flew into the Bosnian capital from Hungary with U-S General John Shalikashvili, chairman of the U-S Joint Chiefs of Staff.

In previous attempts to visit Sarajevo, the defence chief was stymied once by bad weather and once by gunfire that closed the airport.

This time, all went well.

Perry met top NATO generals who gave him an update on the progress of the peace enforcing mission that will involve some 60-thousand troops.

With 20-thousand troops heading to Bosnia, the United States has the largest contingent in the Implementation Force.

Perry says the future for Bosnia looks better for it.

SOUNDBITE:
"It is just appalling that this could happen in Europe in the 1990s, that the world would let this happen. It does make me, it does give me a very good, warm feeling though that the world is taking action now that the peace implementation forces are here and it is a bright prospect for peace in the future."
SUPER CAPTION: William Perry, U-S Defence Secretary

The U-S Defence Secretary and his entourage also paid a visit to Vosava.

There they witnessed how American troops and engineers had built a bridge across the Sava River, which forms the border between Bosnia and Croatia.

The completion of the bridge was one of the first and hardest tasks for the American troops because of the bad weather.

So far, the two-thousand foot (600 metre) pontoon bridge is thought to have helped U-S force strength reach an estimated four-thousand soldiers 14 days into the deployment.

Then it was back to Tuzla, where he visited the U-S headquarters.

He told American GIs that the time for peace had truly come.

SOUNDBITE:
"This is a very positive sign that the NATO forces are being received as friends, which indeed they are, makes me optimistic about the future, makes me believe that the parties here are sick of war, sick of killings, ready to put the hatred behind them and ready to start rebuilding the country and rebuild the future for their children and grandchildren."
SUPER CAPTION: William Perry, U-S Defence Secretary

Perry had warm praise for the U-S troops and their work in Bosnia.

SOUNDBITE:
"I guess the best way to characterise the American soldiers I have met today and yesterday is that they have true grit. My overwhelming reaction as the Secretary of Defence is great pride in the American military. Indeed all American people can feel great pride in their military and their performance in Bosnia. They're performing a dedicated and difficult task bringing peace to this tragic land and their doing it with a wonderful American spirit."
SUPER CAPTION: William Perry, U-S Defence Secretary.

Meeting some of the GIs in Tuzla, Perry exchanged coins with a unit commander - a tradition when officials visit the troops.

UPSOUND: (English)
Unit Leader: "Thank you very much. We appreciate your coming to visit us."
Perry: "I'm so proud of what you're doing here and I'll be talking about you."
Unit Leader: "Thank you. I'm proud of my unit, too."
SUPERCAPTION: U-S Defence Secretary William Perry and Unit Commander Air Force Colonel Suzanne M Waylett


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