Diary Entry - 01/30/1982
Key Facts
President Reagan writes that the Soviets will "be disturbed at evidence their attempts to split US off from allies have failed."
President Reagan meets with Alexander Haig & Bill Clark to discuss the Middle East.
According to a Warsaw radio report, more than 200 people are arrested in Gdansk after violent clashes with Polish police.
Solidarity Day. Charles Wick has really created a great international telecast studded with celebrities & heads of state proclaiming solidarity with the Polish people. Al Haig & Bill Clark came in for report on Al’s trip. He believes he did some good with Israel although he fears they may—on slightest provocation—war on Lebanon. [. . .] Our choice—to go it alone with harsher steps against Poland and risk split in the alliance or meet with E. alliance on things we can do together. The latter is my choice. The plain truth is we cant—alone—hurt the Soviets that much. The Soviets will however be disturbed at evidence their attempts to split us off from allies have failed. The Soviets refused to send an ambulance for the Pentecostal Christian woman on hunger strike in our embassy. She is within hours of death unless she receives medical aid. I ordered her sent to hospital after Soviets refused to let us take her out of Moscow for help. We took her to Moscow hospital in embassy car.
