Meri: Estonians have good memories of Yeltsin

TALLINN(ETA) - Estonia appreciates Boris Yeltsin as the first legally
elected president of Russia, Estonian President Lennart Meri said on
Dec. 31.

Meri said that this is very important, knowing the historical
background of Russia, and with that Yeltsin has secured himself a
place in the history of Russia and the world.

Meri said that Estonia would not forget Yeltsin's visit to Tallinn in
January 1991 when he supported the inalienable rights of Estonia and
other Baltic states.

This was a very manly step, and Estonians have good memories of that,
Meri said.

The Russian Federation, headed by Yeltsin, was the first among big
countries to recognize Estonia's independence and was ready to have
diplomatic ties. Meri appreciates Boris Yeltsin's role in the
development of Russian democracy which was and is a difficult
development and is worthy of good marks.

The relations of the West with Russia have been connected to a
certain person, Meri said, meaning in the past ten years Russia has
meant either Mikhail Gorbachev or Yeltsin to the West.

Vladimir Putin, as the successor of Yeltsin, will carry on the burden
and only the future will tell how difficult or easy it will be, Meri
said.