Statement by Assistant to the President for Press Relations Fitzwater on the President's Meetings With United Nations Officials

September 21, 1987

President Reagan met with Secretary-General Perez de Cuellar in his private office for approximately 5 minutes. Accompanying the President on this courtesy call were Ambassador Walters, Secretary Shultz, Chief of Staff Baker, and National Security Adviser Carlucci. The Secretary-General welcomed the President to the United Nations. The President responded that his visit is meant to demonstrate the importance that the United States attaches to the United Nations. He told the Secretary-General that he admired his recent efforts to bring an end to the Iran-Iraq war and thanked him for making a personal trip to those two countries.

The President then moved to the private office of the new President of the U.N. General Assembly Peter Florin of the German Democratic Republic. The President congratulated President Florin on his recent election to this post and asked for impartiality as he assumes important responsibilities.