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Conversation: 401-026

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Start Date: 11-Jan-1973 2:30 PM

End Date: 11-Jan-1973 3:15 PM

Participants:

Nixon, Richard M. (President)Kennedy, Richard T. (Col.)[Unknown person(s)]

Recording Device: Old Executive Office Building

401-026.mp3

NARA Description:

On January 11, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, Col. Richard T. Kennedy, and unknown person(s) met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 2:30 pm to 3:15 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 401-026 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid:

Conversation No. 401-26

Date: January 11, 1973
Time: 2:30 pm - 3:15 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

The President met with Col. Richard T. Kennedy.

       Vietnam settlement
            -Kennedy report
            -Graham Martin
                  -Saigon
            -Henry A. Kissinger
                  -Paris
                  -Schedule
                         -Meeting with the President
                         -1973 Inauguration
                               -Church service
                               -Family reception
            -Agreement
                  -Announcement
                         -Ronald L. Ziegler’s statement
                         -Details
                         -The President’s speech
                               -Proposed dates
                         -Ziegler’s statement
                               -Tone
                         -Date
                               -Television [TV]
                               -Kissinger
                               -The President’s speech
                  -Initialing
                         -Date
                         -Nguyen Van Thieu
                  -Ziegler’s statement
                                            -23-

                  NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                     Tape Subject Log
                                       (rev. Feb-09)

                                                           Conversation No. 401-26 (cont’d)

                       -Tone
                       -Date
                       -1973 Inauguration
                       -Bipartisan Congressional leadership meeting
                 -Paris negotiations
                       -Final meeting
                       -Details
                       -Date
                             -Thieu
                             -Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
                             -Thieu
            -Negotiations
                 -Meetings
                 -Press coverage
                 -Announcement
                       -Impact on Thieu
                             -Haig
                             -Spiro T. Agnew
                 -Thieu’s actions

An unknown person entered and left at an unknown time between 2:30 pm and 3:15 pm.

                  -US position
                        -Signing without Thieu
                        -Risk
                        -Thieu’s response
                        -Haig
                        -Initialing
                  -Ziegler’s statement
                        -Thieu’s actions
                        -The President’s actions
                               -Public statement
                               -Case-fire
                               -Kissinger
                        -Content

An unknown person entered and left at an unknown time between 2:30 pm and 3:15 pm.

                             -Bipartisan Congressional leadership meeting
                             -Kissinger
                          -24-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                   Tape Subject Log
                     (rev. Feb-09)

                                           Conversation No. 401-26 (cont’d)

             -Technical details
             -The President’s TV appearance
-Kissinger’s work
      -Hanoi
      -Initialing
      -Prisoners of War [POWs]
             -Return
      -Schedule
      -Shuttle between Hanoi and Saigon
      -Thieu
      -Timing of Hanoi Trip
-The President’s opinion
      -Ziegler statement
      -Thieu’s position
-Options
      -Ziegler’s statement
             -Kissinger
             -Paris
             -Details
             -Bipartisan Congressional leadership meeting
      -Advantages
             -Saigon
             -Kissinger
             -Paris
-Kissinger
      -North Vietnamese proposals
             -US relations
      -Cease-fire
             -Date
-Agreement
      -Cease-fire
      -Thieu’s response
      -Announcement
      -Cease-fire
             -Timing
      -Initialing
      -Thieu’s response
             -Hanoi
             -1973 Inauguration
             -Leaks
                                      -25-

            NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                               Tape Subject Log
                                 (rev. Feb-09)

                                                     Conversation No. 401-26 (cont’d)

                 -Announcement
           -Kissinger

The President’s schedule
     -Key Biscayne
           -H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
           -Kissinger
           -Work on speeches
           -Kennedy
           -Date of departure
           -Kissinger
                  -Away from Washington, DC
                  -Press relations
                  -Intentions
                  -Contacts
                  -Relationship with the President
           -The President's wishes
                  -Kissinger
                  -Haig

Adm. Thomas H. Moorer
     -Briefing
           -William P. Rogers, Melvin R. Laird
           -Negotiations
                 -Questions
                 -Press relations
                       -Robert Pierpoint
                       -Call from Moorer
     -Possible Response
           -Consultation

Press relations
      -William E. Timmons
             -“Meet the Press”
                  -Gerald R. Ford
                  -Hugh Scott
             -Kennedy’s role
             -Bombing
             -Negotiations
                  -No comment
                                      -26-

             NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                               Tape Subject Log
                                 (rev. Feb-09)

                                                     Conversation No. 401-26 (cont’d)

       -Vietnam settlement
             -Negotiations
             -Current Status
             -Responsibility of the press
             -Agreement with North Vietnam
                   -No discussion
                   -Congressional relations
                   -Secretary of State
             -Bombing
                   -May 8, 1972 policy
                   -POWs
                   -Cease-fire
             -Congressional briefing
                   -Timing
                          -Negotiations
                   -October 26, 1972 agreement
                   -Kissinger’s briefing
             -Haig’s and Kissinger’s schedules
             -Press relations
                   -Kennedy’s role
             -Progress of negotiations
             -Two announcements
                   -Haig’s departure
                   -Bombing halt
                   -The President’s view
                          -Kissinger
                          -Concurrent announcement
                          -Thieu

Haig
       -Kennedy’s report
            -Input

Confidentiality
     -Ziegler
     -Kissinger
     -Gerald L. Warren
     -Bombing halt
           -Timing
                                               -27-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. Feb-09)

                                                           Conversation No. 401-26 (cont’d)

Kennedy left at 3:15 pm.