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Date, Time and Place: November 10, 1989, 3:29-3:47PM The Oval Office
Chancellor Kohl: The reforms in Poland are moving ahead. They have a new government with fine people. They are too idealistic with too little professionalism. Many of their professionals have spent the last couple of years in prison, not a place where one can learn how to govern. They are commited to democracy and market economics; we must help them. My request is as follows. I just told Margaret Thatcher and will tell Mitterand tomorrow that we should give instructions to our representative at the IMF that the negotiations with Poland should be completed speedily. These negotiations are not nice for the Poles but they are aware of the need and they seek clarity and clear cut conditions. We should help to get an agreement completed by the end of November. So I ask you, help us. Go and do this in the interest of the people. With respect to the rest of my trip to Poland, I will tell you next week after I return. Do you have any questions on Poland.
The President: I have no questions. I'll be interested to hear from you next week. I'm very interested in the GDR.
Kohl: I've just arrived from Berlin. It is like witnessing an enormous fair. It has the atmsphere of a festival. The frontiers are absolutely open. At certain points they are literally taking down the wall and building new checkpoints. At Checkpoint Charlie, thousands of people are crossing both ways. There are many young people coming over for a visit and
CONFIDENTIAL
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