Conversation: 252-020
Prev:  252-019 Next: 252-021Start Date: 28-Apr-1971 4:51 PM
End Date: 28-Apr-1971 6:08 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Kissinger, Henry A.; Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob"); Butterfield, Alexander P.; Recording Device: Old Executive Office Building
Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 00:44:23
Full Tape Conversation End Time: 01:43:37
NARA Description:
On April 28, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, Henry A. Kissinger, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 4:51 pm to 6:08 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 252-020 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 252-20 Date: April 28, 1971 Time: 4:51 pm - 6:08 pm Location: Executive Office Building The President met with Henry A. Kissinger Kissinger’s trip to California -Schedule -Timing Kissinger’s conversation with Pakistani Ambassador Agha Hilaly People’s Republic of China [PRC] -Agha Muhommad Yahya Khan -US policy Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR] -Anatoliy F. Dobrynin -Negotiations -[David] Kenneth Rush and Philip J. Farley PRC -Chou En-lai USSR -Negotiations -Kissinger’s conversation with Dobrynin -Vienna -Arms control -Possible agreement -US policy -Possible agreement -Anti-ballistic Missile [ABM] treaty -Soviet strength PRC -Pakistani ambassador -US emissary -Possible candidates 10 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 9/08) -Dr. David K. E. Bruce -Vietnam negotiations -Kissinger -[Unintelligible name] -Nelson A. Rockefeller -Taiwan -Chiang Kai-shek -John B. Connally Conv. No. 252-20 (cont.) -Personal style -H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman USSR -Cuba -Middle East -Strategic Arms Limitation Talks [SALT] -Prospects -Kissinger’s discussion with Dobrynin -Possible summit -SALT -US position -PRC PRC -Possible US emissary -Rockefeller [?] Vietnam -Paul N. (“Pete”) McCloskey, Jr. -PRC -US policy -Possible withdrawal of US forces -Thailand -Indonesia -William P. Rogers’ speech -Criticism -Cambodia and Laos PRC -Kissinger’s conversation with Henry Hubbard -Donald H. Rumsfeld -Marshall Green -Rogers 11 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 9/08) -State Department -Goal of US policy -End isolation of PRC -President’s possible statement on April 29, 1971 regarding Taiwan -US relations -Treaty commitments -United Nations’ [UN] representation -Two-China policy Conv. No. 252-20 (cont.) -US policy -State Department -Negotiations -Pakistan -Rawalpindi -Bruce -Robert D. Murphy -Chiang Kai-shek -Haldeman -Chou En-lai -Rockefeller -Taiwan -Bruce -Vietnam negotiations -State Department -Signal to the USSR -Berlin talks -Bruce -Rockefeller -Vietnam -USSR -Timetable -Bruce -Kissinger -Bruce’s possible role -Kissinger -Possible visit by President -Vietnam -Meeting in Rawalpindi -Possible US emissary to Peking -Bruce Haldeman entered at 5:20 pm 12 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 9/08) -Possible summit meeting -Timing of President’s visit -Vietnam negotiations -Taiwan -Vietnam -Announcement -Kissinger’s possible role -Bruce Conv. No. 252-20 (cont.) -Visit by President -Arrangements -Kissinger -Meeting with PRC representatives -Kissinger’s possible itinerary -Timing -General Alexander M. Haig, Jr. -Personal emissary -Risks -USSR -Laos, Indonesia, and Thailand -Kissinger -Bruce -Meeting in Rawalpindi -Timing -USSR -Rockefeller -Need for subtlety -Preparation for meeting with President -Arrangements -Agenda -Kissinger -Agenda -Emissary -Announcement -Press conference President’s conversation with Charles W. Colson -Television coverage PRC -Timing of President’s visit -USSR -Announcement 13 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 9/08) -Kissinger -Rockefeller and Bruce -State Department -Meeting in Rawalpindi -PRC emissaries -Chou En-lai -Timing -Michael J. (“Mike”) Mansfield Conv. No. 252-20 (cont.) -Tour of China -Purpose of negotiations -Summit meeting -Vietnam -Emissary -Possible discussions -Purposes of Kissinger’s visit -President’s visit -Possible visit by “public” envoy -US position -Meeting in Rawalpindi -Pakistan ambassador -Kissinger and Rogers -Negotiations -Possible “public” emissaries -Bruce and Murphy -Condition of presidential visit -End of Vietnam War -Timing of President’s visit USSR -Summit meeting Vietnam -Bruce’s statement on Prisoners of War [POWs] [A transcript of the following portion of this conversation was prepared under court order from December 1978 through March 1979 for Special Access [SA] 8, Ronald V. Dellums, et al. v. James M. Powell, et al., No. 71-2271. The National Archives and Records Administration produced this transcript. The National Archives does not guarantee its accuracy.] [End of transcript] Kissinger left at 5:49 pm 14 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 9/08) State Department -Possible change of secretary -Rogers -Elliot L. Richardson -Rockefeller -Connally -Rogers Conv. No. 252-20 (cont.) -Kissinger -Need for “mechanic” as secretary -Richardson and Rogers -Rogers -Accomplishments -Middle East and USSR -Career aspirations -Supreme Court -Warren E. Burger -John M. Harlan -President’s PRC policy -Taiwan -Speech Barry M. Goldwater -Tennessee Valley Authority [TVA] -Comments in Tennessee -Social Security -Comments in St. Petersburg, Florida -Press -Television -Marvin L. Kalb State Department -Rogers -President’s PRC policy -Green -President’s PRC policy -Kissinger -Rogers Alexander P. Butterfield entered at 5:55 pm George P. Shultz 15 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 9/08) -Minimum wage -President’s schedule -Dr. W. Kenneth Riland Minimum wage -Decision -James D. Hodgson -Testimony Conv. No. 252-20 (cont.) -President’s schedule -Shultz -President’s instructions to Haldeman -Purpose of Shultz’s request to discuss minimum wage -President’s upcoming press conference -Patrick J. Buchanan -Administration’s position -Hodgson State Department -Rogers -Melvin R. Laird -Career aspirations -Rogers Television networks -President’s conversation with Colson -Demonstrations -Public opinion -Veterans -Vice President Spiro T. Agnew -John A. Scali -Columbia Broadcasting System [CBS] -Pentagon [Department of Defense] -Media -President’s reaction to media in 1962 President’s meeting with editors State Department -Connally -Rogers PRC 16 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 9/08) -Visit by US emissary -Kissinger -Richardson -Announcement -Emissary -Public and private -Timing -Conditions Conv. No. 252-20 (cont.) -Vietnam -Taiwan -President’s visit -Mansfield Shultz -Hodgson’s testimony -President’s schedule -Call back Butterfield left at 6:06 pm -John D. Ehrlichman The President and Haldeman left at 6:08 pm