(3 Jul 1996) English/Nat

U-S Defense Secretary William Perry is meeting with top Bosnian government officials in an effort to seal an agreement to integrate Bosnian Muslim and Croat military commands.

Ending a standoff over military integration is crucial to launching a 300 (m) million dollar U-S-led campaign to train and equip the Muslim-Croat federation forces.

Perry was interested in getting the two sides to agree on a common defence law establishing a joint military command.

The United states believes a joint Muslim-Croat command would improve the chances of long term peace in Bosnia.

The added weaponry would also give Bosnia's uneasy federation enough military muscle to match the Bosnia's Serbs.

In contention is to what extent Bosnian President Alija Izetbegovic, a Muslim, will share powers with the Croat military leaders.

Perry met with Izetbegovic, and other Bosnian Muslim and Croat defense and military officials during his visit to Sarajevo.

If the issue of establishing a common defense is not settled soon, there may be too little time to implement the train-and-equip program that the U-S government plans to carry out.

But, Perry seemed hopeful of a quick solution.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
I sincerely hope that the agreement can be reached and ratified tomorrow, I said we could celebrate the agreement on our independence day and that would be particularly appropriate.
SUPER CAPTION: Defence Secretary William Perry

The Clinton administration feels the program is essential to preventing war from reigniting once peacekeeping forces move out.

The U-S has earmarked 100 (m) million dollars for equipment for the Bosnian-Croat federation forces, including tanks, guns and other weapons.

Perry also defended the U-S military role in Bosnia and swept aside any ideas of further outbreaks of war.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
We sent it in with robust rules of engagement, that has prevented exactly the thing that everybody was predicting was going to happen - which is armed conflict here. We have brought peace to Bosnia and don't anyone forget that.
SUPER CAPTION: Defence Secretary William Perry

After spending a few hours in Sarajevo, Perry flew to Mostar to meet commanders of the French-run peace-keeping forces in southern Bosnia.

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