Mitterrand, Reagan Heal Their Rift

President Reagan and French President Francois Mitterrand went to unusual lengths today to patch up their relationship, which has been especially strained since France refused to allow American F-111 warplanes to fly through its airspace on their way to last month’s bombing raid of Libya.

“Let this be the first day of the rest of our lives,” Reagan told Mitterrand in a private meeting at the residence of U.S. ambassador to Japan Mike Mansfield.

The well-worn aphorism brought laughter from the White House press corps when it was reported by an Administration official. But Reagan did not have a monopoly on cliches.

“We will talk openly and candidly,” Mitterand was quoted as saying. “The future begins over the next few years.”

‘To Patch Things Up’

An Administration official, who spoke on the condition that he not be identified, gave an extensive account of Mitterrand’s remarks. The release of Mitterrand’s quotations was “coordinated” with the French, a White House aide said, adding, “Both sides have made an effort to patch things up.”

Reagan and Mitterrand have clashed personally and politically almost from the moment Mitterrand took office in 1981 as head of the new Socialist government. But their relationship deteriorated sharply when Mitterrand’s government blocked U.S. pilots from using French airspace during the April 15 air raids on Tripoli and Benghazi, a move that forced the pilots to detour around the Iberian Peninsula and added 1,200 miles to the flight from air bases in Britain.

Only two subjects were discussed in the 45-minute session: terrorism and agricultural subsidies.

In a press conference after the meeting, Mitterrand indicated that he has not had a change of heart on either subject despite the generous words he and Reagan exchanged.

No Regrets on Airspace

He continued to question Reagan’s anti-protectionist sentiments and he said he has no regrets about France’s decision to deny overflight to U.S. warplanes. It was “an exercise of our sovereignty,” he said.

But in his meeting with Reagan, he urged that they place their disagreement over the Libyan raid “in the context of 200 years of history.” And he told Reagan, “You will find us in the front ranks of those who side with you on what we hold dear. This includes terrorism.”

Mitterrand was among the last holdouts against naming Libya as a terrorist state in a summit declaration deploring terrorism. He said he changed his mind after being persuaded that the statement was directed at the regime of Col. Moammar Kadafi and not the Libyan people.

“We should isolate the leader but not the people,” he told Reagan.

In his press conference, Mitterrand observed that none of the leaders proposed mentioning in the statement other countries known to perpetrate terrorism, such as Syria and Iran. The United States “did not want to walk into that mine field, “ he observed.