BBC Correspondent Nicholas Witchell in Bosnia explains why Mr Clinton is in Sarajevo

President Bill Clinton has arrived in the Bosnian capital, Sarajevo, for a visit designed to boost the morale of American troops serving with the Nato-led peacekeeping force.

The visit comes three days after the White House confirmed that American troops would remain in Bosnia beyond next June, when their current mandate expires.

At the time Mr Clinton said he thought it would be a mistake to set a specific timetable for the withdrawal of US soldiers from Bosnia.

Part of the 8,500-strong US force in Bosnia

He arrived at a foggy Sarajevo airport where he met all three members of the collective Bosnian presidency on a red carpet.

He then headed into town along streets lined with people waving American flags, for a meeting with the three leaders - Alija Izetbegovic, a Muslim, Kresimir Zubak, a Croat, and Momcilo Krajisnik, a Serb.

Mr Clinton is also meeting the president of the Bosnian Serb Republic, Biljana Plavsic.

"The most important thing for the long run is to remind the leaders of the country that the future is still in their hands...in the end they have got to behave," the president told reporters on the aircraft.

As well as boosting his troops, the president is also believed to want his visit to underline American commitment to the area, which is gradually recovering from the fighting which ended two years ago.

After delivering an address to the people of Sarajevo at the National Theatre, Mr Clinton is flying to Tuzla where he will visit some of the 8,500 American soldiers in Bosnia.

The White House Press Secretary, Mike McCurry, said the trip was symbolic not only to those troops serving in Bosnia but to all US troops serving away from home.

Sarajevo still bears the wounds of the fighting

Mr Clinton is being joined on the visit by his wife Hillary and daughter Chelsea. The former US presidential candidate, Bob Dole, is also in the party, as is his wife, Elizabeth, in her role as head of the American Red Cross.

Mr Dole gave his support to Mr Clinton's desire to keep troops in Bosnia, despite opposition from Republicans in Congress.

"I think the president is correct," Mr Dole said on Sunday. "I think Congress will support the president. The troops are on the ground, we're not going to cut off funds."

European leaders have been trying to persuade Mr Clinton to maintain the American military presence, saying the entire 33,000-strong international peacekeeping force could collapse if the Americans leave.

"There's a difference between saying it's indefinite and it's infinite," said the US Defense Secretary, William Cohen.

"We ought to stay until the seeds of peace have taken much deeper root and can become self-sustaining," Mr Cohen said.

"I think if we pulled the troops out, I'm satisfied that other Nato members would also do likewise. ... We'd see a resumption of fighting on scales that might even exceed what took place before."
 

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