Minutes of the National Security Council Meeting focus on discussions of Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) research and promotion with foreign governments and U.S. politicians.

Reagan appoints Vice President Bush to the head of a task force designed to assess the US policy on terrorism. This task force will use government resources from all departments to evaluate and give recommendations for actions to prevent and respond to terrorist acts.

Ronald Reagan's famous speech in which he advises Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev to "tear down this wall!"

Reagan and Gorbachev's first conversation during Reagan's 1988 visit to Moscow.

Letter from South African State President P. W. Botha to Ronald Reagan, which discusses South Africa's relations with Mozambique and Mozambique's move away from the Soviet Union. Argues that the West is not supplying enough economic and technical assistance to Mozambique or South Africa, and says that more aid will be necessary to help dissuade foreign interests from depleting the countries' resources.

Letter from South African Foreign Minister "Pik" Botha to South African Member of Parliament J.W.K. Wiley on relations with the United States. He notes that there has been a considerable change in policy since the Reagan administration took over from Carter, summarizing that "the Americans are not at present trying to make trouble for us," although that may change if progress is not made on South West Africa, i.e. Namibia.

Reagan writes to South African Prime Minister R. F. "Pik" Botha regarding his meetings with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Information, Pieter W. Botha (no relation). Reagan expresses hope that relations between the two countries will be more cooperative in the future, and states that although the Nambia issue has complicated that relationship, it "can also be an opportunity to help stem the growth of Soviet influence in the region."

South African Minister of Foreign Affairs "Pik" Botha and President Reagan meet in Washington, DC. South African Ambassador Sole, the note taker, interprets Reagan's friendly opening comments as "the inference clearly being that he had no illusions about democratic rule in Africa." They discuss the situation in Namibia and Angola, and their shared opposition to Soviet and communist influence in the region. Botha also asks Reagan to help South Africa's souring relations with France regarding nuclear cooperation. Botha states that "South Africa was not preparing or intending to explode a nuclear device, but[...] could not afford publicly to surrender this option."

James Malone writes to US Secretary of Energy designate James Edwards with recommendations from the Non-Prolifreation Coordinating Committee for the Reagan administration representing the views of nuclear industry groups.

A letter from the United States Control and Disarmament Agency assessing Pakistan’s nuclear weapons program and US security assistance. Three main issues and possible courses of actions are discussed; they include President Reagan’s “red lines,” certification of Pakistani nuclear activity and convincing Congress to continue aid to Pakistan after September 1987.