Diary Entry - 07/20/1982
Key Facts
President Reagan participates in a meeting with the Foreign Ministers of Saudi Arabia and Syria.
The President and First Lady attend a fundraising reception for the James Brady Trust Fund.
IRA terrorist bombs explode in two London parks, killing eleven soldiers and wounding 59 soldiers and civilians.
Today we met with Prince Saud (Saudi Arabia) & the foreign minister of Syria. They were an odd combination because the Saudis & Syrians are not exactly friends. The F.M. is abrasive & obviously a hater of Israel. Still I think we made some progress—we’ll know in a few days. We submitted a proposition that Syria take the top rank 1000 or so of the P.L.O. in Beirut. The rest 5 or 6000 to be moved to N. Lebanon until they can be distributed to Arab States. Then at Lebanon’s request the Syrians and Israelis go home. They are taking this back to the Arab League. Routine Cabinet meeting. Heard a report of the success of our fight against crime & drug running in Fla. We have virtually wiped out the traffic from S.A.—80% of the Coke & Pot was coming into the country through Fla. We have confiscated several bil. dollars worth. A reception this afternoon to launch the new James S. Brady Presidential Foundation. It is to raise funds for Jim & others who suffer as he has as a result of assassination attempts on Govt. officials.
