Diary Entry - 05/02/1985
Key Facts
President Reagan meets with President of the Federal Republic of Germany Richard von Weizsacker and Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany Helmut Kohl.
President Reagan meets with President of the French Republic Francois Mitterrand and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Margaret Thatcher.
The day started with a working breakfast with all our staff then at 9:35 Nancy joined us. We helicoptered into Bonn and motored to Villa Hammerschmidt—home of Pres. Von Weizsaecker. Met by him & his wife plus a greeting party of our embassy people & German officials. It was a formal ceremony (the Presidents functions are largely ceremonial). He & I inspected the troops etc. A photo opp. for the press then Nancy left us for her trip to Rome—an audience with the Pope & a schedule that will keep her away til May 4.
The Pres. & I (plus staffs) had a half hour meeting then we were off to the Fed. Chancellery to meet Chancellor Helmut Kohl. He & I had a 45 min. private meeting. I assured him I was not upset by the press furor over my scheduled wreath laying at Bitberg mil. cemetery. He said I had won the heart of Germany by standing firm on this.
We went into a plenary session & got into discussions about the Summit for another 45 min’s. Then on to our Deputy Chief of Missions residence (they are a very nice couple). We had a working lunch preparing for my one on one visits. At 2:15 P.M. Nakasone (Japan) arrived. We had a half hour meeting discussing mainly trade matters. He’s supportive of our desire to have a general round of trade talks in early ’86 to head off “protectionism.”
Next visitor was Pres. Mitterrand of France. He’s still pressing for a formal monetary conference to deal with exchange rates etc. We’ve had our ministers & a task force discussing & studying financial matters for 2 yrs. since the Williamsburg summit. Their report is due in June. I proposed that we wait for that report & then see what further is needed. He’s not satisfied with that and wants to tie a monetary meeting to any trade talks. I briefed him also on our Strategic Defense Initiative (S.D.I.) and sensed a reluctance on his part as to any participation in this.
Then it was back to Schloss Gymnich where I had a meeting with our solid ally Margaret Thatcher. This was a half hour—mainly spent in discussing the upcoming meeting.
Back to the helicopter and off to Schloss Augustusberg to meet Helmut—attend a reception—which was jammed—no reception line just mix & mingle.
Back in a motorcade & off to Schloss Falkenlust for the Summit dinner meeting. During the course of dinner I told them how successful Nancys anti drug session with 17 other 1st ladies had been & by the time I finished they picked up on it & we voted to move together on a program of cooperation in dealing with the drug problem. Then it was back to Schloss Gymnich for the night.
