Diary Entry - 04/12/1983
Key Facts
President Reagan greets Sultan Qabbos bin Said of the Sultanate of Oman.
President Reagan meets with a group of Democratic Members of congress to discuss the nuclear freeze resolution.
Following a week of heavy rains and flooding in Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Alabama, at least 15 persons are reported dead and 50,000 left homeless, with damage estimated at $600 million.
His Majesty King Qaboos arrived—mil. reception on the S. Lawn. State Dinner tonite. He gave some good advice about the P.L.O. statements. He says let them sweat for awhile—we’ve made them feel more important than they are. So we’ll stop chasing them. Met with Dem. Congressmen re the nuclear freeze resolution. I think the meeting was worthwhile. Al Schwabacher dropped by—haven’t seen him for several years. A Cabinet briefing about the move to lift a rule & let networks buy & own syndication rights to shows. I’m afraid it will be a monopoly to the detriment of the independent producers. Met with about 20 bankers who are against our withholding tax on interest. Don Regan carried most of the argument on our side. No agreement reached—it’s a testy issue. Today the Pentacostals left the Am. Embassy basement in Moscow where they’ve lived in the basement for 4 yrs. They left at our request. We think—well more than that we’re sure we have a deal that they will be allowed to emigrate. The dinner was a warm success. Robert Merrill & Anna Moffet sang. The Sultan is a devotee of operatic music. He told us afterward that he felt comfortable & at home & ease from the moment he met us.
