IV 

111TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 1680 

Recognizing the 15th anniversary of the Dayton Peace Accords. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 29, 2010 

Mr. TURNER (for himself and Mr. DELAHUNT) submitted the following 

resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing the 15th anniversary of the Dayton Peace 

Accords. 

Whereas, on December 14, 1995, the General Framework 

Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina, known 

as the Dayton Peace Accords, ended a conflict that 

threatened to destabilize Europe and resulted in the 

death of approximately 250,000 people, and the displacement of more than 2,000,000 men, women, and children; 

Whereas negotiations began on November 1, 1995, at 

Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio, and 

concluded there on November 21, 1995, when the leaders 

of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, and Serbia all 

agreed to a breakthrough peace settlement that sought to 

halt conflicts that began in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 

April 1992; 


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Whereas previous attempts to negotiate peace in Bosnia and 

Herzegovina had been unsuccessful; 

Whereas the negotiations were initiated under intense pressure by many of the world powers, particularly the 

United States and Russia, prompting the leaders of the 

three sides to attend the negotiations in Dayton, Ohio; 

Whereas the United States negotiating team led by Ambassador Richard Holbrooke guided peace negotiations endorsed by members of the European Union (EU) and 

Russian Federation; 

Whereas 21 days of intense negotiations occurring at the 

Hope Hotel at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base brought 

hope and an opportunity for peace; 

Whereas the negotiations succeeded, against all predictions, 

due to the visionary leadership, the determination of all 

involved, the desire for peaceful resolution of the conflict, 

and the extensive community support; 

Whereas Wright-Patterson Air Force Base was chosen as the 

site of the negotiations due to its diversity and security, 

which offered an environment where the warring parties 

could focus on negotiating peace out of the spotlight of 

the media and away from distracting geopolitical pressures; 

Whereas the Dayton community unexpectedly became part of 

the process as its people became proud to be part of history, holding candlelight vigils, placing ‘‘candles of peace’’ 

in their front windows, congratulating and praying for 

the negotiators, forming a human peace chain around 

Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, and continuing to 

study peace and human rights based on the community’s 

experiences hosting these historic negotiations; 


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Whereas the negotiators highlighted Ohio’s ethnic diversity to 

show the warring parties that people from disparate ethnic histories could live everyday life in peace; 

Whereas the Dayton Peace Accords provided a framework 

and common agreement to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) implementation and stabilization 

force missions which provided security for the citizens of 

Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, and Serbia; 

Whereas the Dayton Literary Peace Prize, established in 

2006, remains the only literary peace prize awarded in 

the United States, and continues the legacy of the 1995 

Dayton Peace Accords by honoring authors who write 

about peace and whose work provides enduring literary 

value; 

Whereas the Dayton International Peace Museum in downtown Dayton, a nonprofit, all-volunteer organization, is 

one of the few community-based institutions with a focus 

on peace in the United States, and the Museum honors 

Dayton’s history as the host of the 1995 Dayton Peace 

Accords, offering nonpartisan educational programs and 

exhibits featuring themes of nonviolent conflict resolution, social justice issues, international relations, and 

peace; 

Whereas the Dayton, Ohio, community supported the peace 

negotiations and worked to create a strong, lasting relationship with Bosnia and Herzegovina by hosting numerous visiting delegations, creating a sister city relationship 

with Sarajevo, and hosting an international anniversary 

commemoration; 

Whereas Bosnia and Herzegovina has received a conditional 

Membership Action Plan to join NATO pending continVerDate Mar 15 2010 00:32 Oct 02, 2010 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR1680.IH HR1680

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ued progress on reforms, and will deploy personnel with 

the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in 

the coming months; 

Whereas Croatia is progressing on the path to join the EU, 

became a NATO member in 2009, and has deployed 

troops around the world, including in Afghanistan, fighting alongside the United States Armed Forces to bring 

peace, stability, and prosperity to others; 

Whereas the Montenegrin Parliament declared independence 

from Serbia on June 3, 2006, and thus created a multiethnic country with a viable economy, professional military, and democratic institutions; 

Whereas Serbia has recently cleared a major obstacle to EU 

integration by committing to negotiate with Kosovo on 

practical issues involving the two countries, and is making strong efforts to arrest the last two war crimes fugitives sought by the International Criminal Tribunal for 

the former Yugoslavia, Ratko Mladic and Goran Hadzic; 

Whereas the entire State of Ohio has contributed to stability 

and prosperity in the Balkan region by fostering an exemplary relationship between the Ohio National Guard 

and the Serbian Armed Forces; and 

Whereas the Dayton Peace Accords effectively ended the conflict, created a multi-ethnic country in the Balkans, and 

addressed topics critical to the future of Bosnia and 

Herzegovina, including regional stabilization, a constitutional framework, the repatriation of refugees, and internal security: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) commends Bosnia and Herzegovina for the 

3 significant progress it has made over the past 15 


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1 years on the implementation of the Dayton Peace 

2 Accords; 

3 (2) welcomes and supports the aspiration of 

4 Bosnia and Herzegovina to become a member of the 

5 North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO); 

6 (3) reaffirms the importance of the successful 

7 participation of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Eu8 ropean integration process for the future freedom 

9 and prosperity of its citizens; 

10 (4) encourages the Government of Bosnia and 

11 Herzegovina to continue reforms on economic and 

12 constitutional issues; and 

13 (5) recognizes the role of the State of Ohio as 

14 well as the Greater Dayton community in fostering 

15 and promoting the Dayton Peace Accords and its 

16 ideals, and continuing to support diplomacy, secu17 rity, and peace around the world. 

Æ 


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