Bill Clinton: “An Exchange With Reporters May 24, 1994 President Clinton. Since we're not going to do a press availability--it's late…”

“An Exchange With Reporters May 24, 1994 President Clinton. Since we're not going to do a press availability--it's late in the afternoon--I'd like to make a brief statement about the purpose of this meeting and then ask President Ulmanis to say a few words. First, I want to welcome him to the United States and express my appreciation for the close working relationship we have had with him during my tenure and his, which have overlapped. Our administration has worked very hard to support the withdrawal of Russian troops from the Baltics in general and from Latvia in particular. We have been very involved in trying to help resolve the dispute between Russia and Latvia over the facility at Skrunda, and we have been very pleased at the resolution of that. And we have supported the resettlement of Russian soldiers and the housing program for them when they leave the Baltics and go back home. And so we look forward to the completion of that effort this summer. And we are very, very pleased about it. It's an important part of our overall objectives and our long- term relationships with all the nations in the Baltics area and the CIS, and particular with Russia. So I'm very pleased about that. I'm glad to have President Ulmanis here. And he perhaps has a word or two he'd like to say. President Ulmanis. I'm honored about the progress that has been made since I have met with the American President.…”