October 6- (JBANC/Washington, D.C.) -- Members of the Joint Baltic American National Committee, Inc. (JBANC) discussed Baltic and U.S.-security related issues, including NATO enlargement, with a local Baltic-American audience at the Lithuanian Hall in Baltimore, MD on September 29, 2000.
 
Under JBANC auspices, such visits have been made to over a dozen Baltic-American communities in cities throughout the Midwest and East Coast since early summer. The visits are to inform and encourage Baltic-Americans across the country to write to their elected members of Congress and the Presidential candidates, requesting support for Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian entry into NATO.  A similar meeting took place in Rockville, MD on September 22. 

JBANC has also completed a mailing of information to Baltic-Americans in the 34 states where a U.S. Senate seat is being contested in the November election, asking for letters to Senate candidates urging the entry of the three Baltic countries into NATO.   Anyone interested in more information on this project may request it from JBANC. .  

(left to right) Karl Altau, Managing Director; John Bolsteins, Chairman; Henry Gaidis, Lithuanian American Council representative during meeting at Baltimore Lithuanian Hall   September 29, 2000.

Some of the audience at the September 29 meeting at the Baltimore Lithuanian Hall.

Baltic-Americans and guests discussing NATO enlargement in Rockville, Sept. 22, 2000

Rockville meeting participants included (left to right) Mati Koiva (dark suit), Gunnar Paabo, Maido Kari, Janis Eichmanis, Janis Bolsteins (JBANC Chairman) and Karl Altau