Conversation: 501-019
Prev:  501-018 Next: 501-020Start Date: 19-May-1971 3:09 PM
End Date: 19-May-1971 3:45 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Kissinger, Henry A.; Smith, Gerard C.; Allison, Royal B. (Gen.); Nitze, Paul J.; Brown, Harold; Thompson, Llewellyn E. ("Tommy"), Jr.; Farley, Philip J.; Recording Device: Oval Office
Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 03:58:27
Full Tape Conversation End Time: 04:23:41
NARA Description:
On May 19, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, Henry A. Kissinger, Gerard C. Smith, Gen. Royal B. Allison, Paul J. Nitze, Harold Brown, Llewellyn E. ("Tommy") Thompson, Jr., and Philip J. Farley met in the Oval Office of the White House from 3:09 pm to 3:45 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 501-019 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 501-19 Date: May 19, 1971 Time: 3:09 pm - 3:45 pm Location: Oval Office The President met with Henry A. Kissinger. Strategic Arms Limitation Talk [SALT] agreement -Anatoliy F. Dobrynin -Texts in Russian and English -Announcement -Delegation's knowledge -Gerard C. Smith -Meeting with delegation -President's meeting -Congressional leaders 43 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 9/08) -Smith's report ****************************************************************************** BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4 [Privacy] [Duration: 11s ] Conv. No. 501-18 (cont.) END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4 ****************************************************************************** President's schedule -Meeting with SALT delegation -Cabinet Room -Possible trip to Midway -William P. Rogers -Possible leak -Rogers -Ellsworth F. Bunker [?] Smith, Gen. Royal B. Allison, Paul J. Nitze, Harold Brown, Llewellyn E. (“Tommy”) Thompson, Jr., and Philip J. Farley entered at 3:12 pm. Greetings and introductions President's previous meeting with Melvin R. Laird Congress -Upcoming vote -Michael J. Mansfield Amendment SALT -Smith's schedule -Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR] -Anti-ballistic missile [ABM] agreement -Time-frame -Effects -Build-ups 44 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 9/08) -Forward Base System [FBS] -Multiple Independently-targetable Reentry Vehicle's [MIRV] -USSR -View on MIRV -Defense systems -Laird -USSR -Verification Conv. No. 501-19 (cont.) -USSR arms -USSR goals -Technology -President's press conference -Strategy -Desire for ABM agreement -Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles [ICBM] program -Party Congress -Troop levels in Germany and Czechoslovakia -State Department report -Possibility of unilateral withdrawal -Conventional forces in Europe -European Security Conference -Warsaw Pact -North Atlantic Treaty Organization [NATO] -Dobrynin -Possible reductions -Political effect -US -USSR -Great Britain ****************************************************************************** BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2 [National Security] [Duration: 1m 25s ] DEFENSE END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2 45 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 9/08) ****************************************************************************** SALT -Progress of talks -Compared with Vietnam Peace talks -David K.E. Bruce Conv. No. 501-19 (cont.) -USSR -Goals -Position -US policy -USSR -Government bureaucracy -Effect on decision-making -Lack of public scrutiny -Army -Foreign Office Foreign policy -People's Republic of China [PRC] [Unintelligible] USSR and PRC relations -US position -Neutrality USSR -Suggested overture by US -Ongoing negotiations -Computers [?] -Trucks -Credit certification -Kissinger’s efforts -Aviation -Possible purchase -Kissinger’s call to Dobrynin -South America -Possible purchase -Dobrynin -Alaskan Airlines 46 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 9/08) -American airplanes -Inspections -Department of Commerce action -Certification -Supersonic Transport [SST] -White House SST Conv. No. 501-19 (cont.) -Tokyo -Europe -SST -South America -Effect -Moscow to New York -Kissinger -Aviation Russian planes -President's 1967 flight -747's -President's 1967 flight -Russian plane -Stewardesses President's schedule -May 21, 1971 meeting with delegation -Laird Weather -Golf -Burning Tree Country Club -Water shortage -Secretary of Agriculture [Clifford M. Hardin] -Florida President's schedule -May 21, 1971 meeting Kissinger, et al., left at 3:45 pm. 47 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 9/08)