White House Diaries

Wednesday, August 5, 1987

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Staff time very brief—a little talk about replacement for Mac. We’re down to 6 names.

Then I met with my “MIG Pilot.” He’s the ex Soviet Ace who defected September 6—1976. He flew the Soviets latest—the MIG 25 out of Siberia to Japan & landed with only 15 seconds of fuel left. His desire was to come to the U.S. & made the M. 25 his ticket. We’d never had a glimpse of one. He’s very personable & loves America. Victor Belenko is now an Am. citizen.

Then a meeting with Cong. leaders on the bipartisan plan for negotiating in Nicaragua. Bob Byrd was a little reluctant. I had ordered our fellows to put down some 21 statements expressing our understanding of what various clauses in the agreement meant. There was some discussion on that but we presented it as an annex not part of the plan.

Then Geo. S. & I went into the press room & I read a statement about what we’d just done & George stayed & took Q’s. Then I met with the 6 Nicaraguan Resistance Leaders. They are Directors of a newly formed union of the revolutionaries.

After lunch—Dick Wirthlin came by with latest poll. The figures continue to move slowly up for us. George S. came in for his regular Wed. meeting. He officially asked for mil. planes for Howard B. & Frank C. when they traveled on basis they know too much to be out their in public transportation—I said yes. Then a report on Col. Oleg Gordiaskiy—the K.G.B. defector to Eng. Margaret Thatcher is working on the Soviets as we are. We’re going to hold back & see if she can get his wife & 2 children out of Russia. Then some talk on arms reduction. It looks like a complete treaty is on the table in Geneva for the I.N.F.’s. George thinks we’re getting close on Nuc. test treatys & of course we must follow through on the I.C.B.M.s—a 50% reduction. Shevardnadze is due in Mid Sept. We hope to have some issues on Reductions ready by then.

A meeting in Cab. Room with some of our hard nosed, consv. Sens. (Repub.)who had to be convinced we weren’t selling out in our bipartisan Nicaragua plan.

Then a meeting on Sec. of Commerce—We’re going to check out Bill Verity. Over to the Dr’s—Nurses removed my nose plaster & so upstairs.