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Conversation: 249-016

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Start Date: 15-Apr-1971 4:05 PM

End Date: 15-Apr-1971 4:32 PM

Participants:

Nixon, Richard M. (President)Kissinger, Henry A.

Recording Device: Old Executive Office Building

Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 02:10:05

Full Tape Conversation End Time: 02:27:54

249a.mp3

249b.mp3

NARA Description:

On April 15, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 4:05 pm to 4:32 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 249-016 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid:

Conversation No. 249-16

Date: April 15, 1971
Time: 4:05 pm - 4:32 pm                                        Conv. No. 249-15 (cont.)
Location: Executive Office Building

The President met with Henry A. Kissinger

     Donald H. Rumsfeld and Robert H. Finch
         -Trip

     People’s Republic of China [PRC] policy
          -President’s initiative
                -Critics
          -Press reaction
                -Time and Newsweek
          -Kissinger’s meeting with unknown person
          -Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR]
          -Cambodia
          -Finch and Rumsfeld
                -Invitation to Chinese doctors
          -Rumsfeld

     Preparations for press conference, April 16, 1971
          -Vietnam War
          -Possible statement on Prisoners of War [POWs]
          -Cease fire
          -Residual force
          -Robert C. Byrd

     United States-PRC relations
          -Soviet statement
          -Kissinger’s conversation with Ronald L. Ziegler

     Kissinger’s call from Martin [?]
          -Campus atmosphere
          -Edmund S. Muskie
          -Kissinger’s Conversation with Charles H. Percy
                                         23

                     NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                   Tape Subject Log
                                      (rev. 9/08)



           -Senate

Strategic Arms Limitation Talks [SALT] negotiations
      -USSR
      -Summit
      -Deadline

Vietnam negotiations                                              Conv. No. 249-16 (cont.)
     -Message to Hanoi
     -North Vietnamese intentions
     -Residual force
     -United States’ objectives
           -Withdrawal
           -Return of prisoners
           -Defense of South Vietnam
     -Laos
     -State Department

Preparation for press conference
     -Pakistan
     -Middle East
           -Melvin R. Laird
                 -Balance
           -Arms shipments
           -Negotiations

President’s PRC initiative
     -Liberals
     -Peter Lisagor
     -Marshall Green
     -President’s role
           -Leadership
           -Kissinger’s Conversation with [Name unintelligible]
                 -Lyndon B. Johnson
                 -State Department
           -Policy directive of February 5, 1969
           -Policy directive of May 15, 1969
           -Relaxation of economic controls, June 26, 1969
           -Other dates of announcements
           -Lifting of restrictions
           -Leadership
                 -Elliot L. Richardson
                                                24

                            NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                         (rev. 9/08)



                 -Muskie
           -State Department
                 -Announcements
           -J. Edward Murray
           -Chou En-lai
           -Chinese
           -Timing
                                                                 Conv. No. 249-16 (cont.)
     Kissinger’s press interviews
          -[Forename unknown] Fentris [sp?]
          -Instructions to Kissinger
          -Reaction to news story on Vietnam

Kissinger left at 4:31 pm