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

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.