[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George H. W. Bush (1992, Book I)]
[March 3, 1992]
[Page 370]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Statement by Press Secretary Fitzwater on the President's Meeting With 
Prime Minister Filip Dimitrov of Bulgaria

March 3, 1992
    The President met for approximately 30 minutes this afternoon with 
Bulgarian Prime Minister Filip Dimitrov. He welcomed the Prime Minister 
as the first popularly-elected Bulgarian leader ever to visit the United 
States and congratulated him on Bulgaria's national day of independence, 
celebrated today.
    The President expressed admiration for the determination shown by 
President Zhelev and Prime Minister Dimitrov in advancing democracy and 
human rights, including minority rights, in Bulgaria and in pursuing a 
bold program of market economic reform. He expressed America's firm 
support for Bulgaria as it undertakes this difficult transformation and 
proposed that both countries work to promote foreign trade and 
investment, which can bring the capital, know-how, and new jobs Bulgaria 
needs.
    The two leaders also discussed the situation in the Balkans. They 
reaffirmed their strong support for U.N. peacekeeping efforts in 
Yugoslavia and agreed that all countries should act with restraint so as 
to promote confidence and stability in the region.