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

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.