Diary Entry - 03/24/1981
Key Facts
President Reagan hosts a breakfast with Congressional Leaders to discuss the economic recovery package.
President Reagan attends a National Security Council meeting to discuss issues with various African states.
Brkfst. with the big 5 Cong. leaders. Tip protested we hadn’t sent enough details up on our ec. pckg. Truth is we are pretty much on schedule and most of the missing will be there in a week or so. Foreign Minister Ito of Japan is here scouting for the P.M’s. visit in May. I made it plain we did not want to set a quota on Japan auto imports to help us over the Auto. crisis but if Japan voluntary reduction took place it could head off bills to impose quotas now before Cong. I think he gets the point—I hope so. Nat. Security Council meeting in Situation Room. We adopted a plan to persuade African States of our desire to help settle the Namibian question—an election after a const. is adopted. At the same time we would urge Angola’s govt. to oust the Cubans at the same time we helped Savimbi. Our hope being that with the Cubans out N.A.T.O. & Savimbi could negotiate a peace. Later in day a call from Al Haig, all upset about an announcement that George B. is to be chairman of the Crisis Council. Historically the chairman is Nat. Security Advisor (Dick Allen). Al thinks his turf is being invaded. We chose George because Al is wary of Dick. He talked of resigning. Frankly I think he’s seeing things that aren’t there. He’s Sec. of St. and no one is intruding on his turf—foreign policy is his but he has half the cabinet teed off.
