PRESIDENT Clinton has announced his agreement "in principle" that US troops will be sent to Zaire for a humanitarian relief mission, and to Bosnia for a renewed peace keeping mission.
The President gave his commitment as the UN Security Council began its discussion in New York on a draft resolution that calls for the deployment of a temporary force to help over one million refugees who had been trapped in camps in Zaire.
The announcement, which had been expected, came within hours of Mr Clinton yesterday flying to Hawaii for a weekend break before continuing on to Australia for a state visit. From there he will go to the Philippines for a summit of the Asian Pacific Economic Cooperation group and return home via Thailand, where he will join the celebrations for the 50th anniversary of the king's reign.
Mr Clinton was unable to announce any appointments to his cabinet, although he had originally hoped to have chosen the new secretaries for state and defence before his departure. He told a press conference he would make "timely appointments" to the cabinet before the new Congress assembles next January.
Former senator George Mitchell, chairman of the all party talks in Northern Ireland, is still strongly tipped for the Department of State post. But there are now reports that the Republican congressional leadership, while not blocking his appointment, would regard Mr Mitchell as "an irritant" in relations with Congress because of what is called his "extremely partisan" conduct as Senate majority leader.
Announcing the US force for Zaire, Mr Clinton said that he had just received good preliminary news concerning the refugees, but he believed that some international military presence would still be required to ensure their safety. Earlier the US had indicated that it would require a ceasefire between warring factions before sending in any troops.
The world's most powerful nation "could not turn its back" on the situation there, he said.
The President rejected criticism that during the election campaign he had concealed his decision to send new troops to Bosnia. He did not decide until he had recently, received the NATO plan setting out the options for the future of the implementation force, Ifor, he said.
Mr Clinton said the new US force will have about 8,500 troops, or half the numbers of the present one. By the end of 1997 it would probably be reduced by half and he was proposing to NATO allies that all the international force should be withdrawn by June 1998.
The President warned that before giving the "green light" for the new force, he would have to be satisfied that the mission was "clear, limited and achievable".
Mr Clinton will return to Washington in time for Thanksgiving Day on November 28th.
