    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George H. W. Bush (1991, Book I)]
    [March 29, 1991]
    [Page 319]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    [[Page 319]]

    Statement by Deputy Press Secretary Popadiuk on President Bush's Meeting
    With President Arnold Ruutel of Estonia
    March 29, 1991

        President Bush met this morning in the Oval Office with Arnold
    Ruutel, President of Estonia. President Bush began the meeting by
    reiterating the unequivocal support of the U.S. for Estonia's right to
    self-determination. He expressed his outrage over the use of force in
    Vilnius and Riga in January, and he emphasized his conviction that the
    only solution to this situation was good-faith negotiations between the
    Baltic States and Moscow. He assured President Ruutel that he had
    personally made this point to President Gorbachev on many occasions.
    President Bush took note that negotiations had begun between Estonia and
    Moscow, and he discussed with President Ruutel the results to date.

                        Note: The statement referred to President Mikhail
                            Gorbachev of the Soviet Union.