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Conversation: 502-014

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Start Date: 20-May-1971 1:45 PM

End Date: 20-May-1971 2:05 PM

Participants:

Nixon, Richard M. (President)Ziegler, Ronald L.Dart, Justin W.Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")Scali, John A.Kissinger, Henry A.

Recording Device: Oval Office

Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 02:10:42

Full Tape Conversation End Time: 02:25:54

502a.mp3

502b.mp3

NARA Description:

On May 20, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, Ronald L. Ziegler, Justin W. Dart, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, John A. Scali, and Henry A. Kissinger met in the Oval Office of the White House from 1:45 pm to 2:05 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 502-014 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid:

Conversation No. 502-14

Date: May 20, 1971
Time: 1:45 pm - 2:05 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Ronald L. Ziegler.

     John A. Scali's [?] briefings
          -Forthcoming meeting with [Arnold] Eric Sevareid
               -Howard K. Smith
               -John W. Chancellor
          -Major briefing at 12:45, May 20, 1971
                                              22

                          NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                         (rev. 9/08)



               -Open attendance
          -Meeting at 2 o'clock, May 20, 1971
               -Sevareid
               -Smith
               -Chancellor
               -Marvin L. Kalb
               -Richard G. Valeriani
               -William A. Gill, Jr.                                  Conv. No. 502-14 (cont.)
          -Meeting at 4 o'clock, May 20,1971
               -Max Frankel
               -Chalmers Roberts
               -Associated Press [AP] and United Press International [UPI] diplomatic press
               -William S. White
               -Roscoe Drummond
          -Ziegler's views
               -Gerard C. Smith
               -Scali
               -Henry A. Kissinger's comments
               -Impact on press
               -Press

[The President talked with Justin W. Dart at an unknown time between 1:45 pm and 1:48 pm]

[See Conversation No. 3-85]

[Conversation No. 502-14A]

[End of telephone conversation]

     Meeting with Kissinger

Ziegler left and H.R. (“Bob”) Haldeman and Scali entered at 1:48 pm.

     Strategic Arms Limitation Talks [SALT] agreement announcement, May 20, 1971
           -Press response
           -J. Henry Smith
           -Television instant analysis
           -Daniel Seymour's reaction
                 -Seymour's meeting with President several years ago
           -Staff
           -Television viewers response
           -Time of announcement in Washington, D.C. and Moscow
                                                23

                              NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                       Tape Subject Log
                                          (rev. 9/08)



     Personnel Management
          -Scali [?]
                -George A. Lincoln [?]
                -National Security Council [NSC]
                -Responsibility

Kissinger entered at 1:52 pm.
                                                                   Conv. No. 502-14 (cont.)
     SALT agreement
         -Soviet translation, US translation
         -Kissinger's phone call to Anatoliy F. Dobrynin
              -Treaty
              -Agreement
         -Dobrynin's press release
              -Text President read

     President schedule
          -Future conversation with Scali

Scali left at an unknown time before 1:55 pm.

     SALT agreement
         -Two o'clock briefing, May 20, 1971
         -US and Soviet text
         -Kissinger's call to Dobrynin
         -AP report from Moscow
               -Two stage procedure
                    -Anti-ballistic missile [ABM] agreement
         -Letter
         -Television
         -Michael J. (“Mike”) Mansfield's statement
         -Soviet domestic radio
               -One and two stage procedures

Ziegler entered at 1:55 pm.

           -Photographs
                -Oliver F. (“Ollie”) Atkins
                -Release to the public

Ziegler left at 1:57 pm.
                                             24

                             NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                         (rev. 9/08)



           -Dobrynin press release, May 20, 1971
                 -US text of SALT agreement
           -Kissinger's views of Soviets
                 -SALT
                 -Cambodia
                 -Vietnam
                 -President's views
                       -State Department                          Conv. No. 502-14 (cont.)
           -Upcoming Berlin meeting
                 -D[avid] Kenneth Rush
           -US and Soviet desires
           -Unknown person's (Dobrynin?) views
           -Kissinger’s talk with Ronald W. Reagan
           -Unknown person (Dobrynin?)
           -Mansfield's statement
           -Treaty
           -Administration's position
           -Kissinger's calls to Dobrynin on May 19, 1971
           -President's television announcement
                 -Press interpretation
                       -AP in Moscow
           -Aleksei N. Kosygin's letter on SALT agreement
           -Press inquiries on the SALT agreement
                 -Kissinger’s response
           -President's initiative on SALT
           -Kissinger's role in SALT agreement
           -Smith's role in SALT agreement
                 -Vienna
                 -Smith's views
                 -Kissinger's views
                       -Design of negotiations
           -Credit for the SALT agreement
                 -Smith
                 -Vienna
                 -Paul W. McCracken

     Scali’s [?] schedule
           -Television

Kissinger left at 2:05 pm.
                                               25

                          NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                       Tape Subject Log
                                          (rev. 9/08)