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White House Diaries
May
01
1986
May 01, 1986
Thursday, May 1, 1986
This is the busy day. First a briefing then a bilateral with Pres. Soharto at the Putri Bali hotel. He’s done quite a job—ending a 600% inflation rate, making his country self sufficient in rice production. They had been Worlds largest importer of rice. He’s anti-Libya & P.L.O.
The meeting was really a plenary with both our teams on hand but he took me into an adjoining room for a one on one. He told me how he had promoted a nat. language among his 165 mil. people on 13,600 islands. The islands have phone connections by way of a satellite. They were to send up a 2nd one but the Challenger tragedy has interfered with that. He was gratified by my position on protectionism. We rejoined the others for last 15 min. of meeting.
At 2:30 met with V.P. Laurell of Philippines. He brought a request from Pres. Aquino for $10 Bil. at 2 Bil. a year for 5 yrs. I told him we had a few problems of our own.
Then we joined the full meeting of the A.S.E.A.N. foreign ministers. They have done a good job of making their economies sound—G.N.P. growth has been 6.8% a year for the last several.
That night a dinner by the Sohartos,—wardrobe—Batique shirts—a gift from the Pres.
