[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George H. W. Bush (1991, Book I)]
[May 8, 1991]
[Page 489]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Statement by Press Secretary Fitzwater on President Bush's Meeting With 
President Vytautus Landsbergis of Lithuania and Prime Ministers Ivars 
Godmanis of Latvia and Edgar Savisaar of Estonia
May 8, 1991

    The President met today with President Landsbergis of Lithuania, 
Prime Minister Godmanis of Latvia, and Prime Minister Savisaar of 
Estonia for about 40 minutes in the Cabinet Room. The three Baltic 
leaders, who are on a private visit to the United States, had requested 
the meeting, the President's sixth with Baltic officials during the past 
12 months.
    The President reiterated the longstanding U.S. policy of 
nonrecognition of the forcible incorporation of the Baltic States into 
the Soviet Union in 1940. The President noted the United States had 
transported emergency medical assistance to the Baltic States in 
February. The United States intends to send additional shipments of 
medical supplies to the Baltic States and to continue its program of 
medical assistance in the Soviet Union itself.
    The President said the United States was encouraged by the 
resumption of negotiations between the Soviet Government and the Baltic 
States. The United States believes that fair and constructive 
negotiations are the only way to resolve the complex problems between 
Moscow and the Baltic governments. He said the United States hoped that 
all parties to these negotiations could be flexible and pragmatic in 
order to reach a just and lasting resolution of the problem.