Conversation: 629-006
Prev: 629-005 Next: 629-007Start Date: 6-Dec-1971 9:09 AM
End Date: 6-Dec-1971 10:08 AM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Kissinger, Henry A.; White House operator; Rogers, William P.; Bush, George H. W.; Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob"); Ziegler, Ronald L.; Ehrlichman, John D.; Agnew, Spiro T. (Vice President); Mills, Wilbur D.;Recording Device: Oval Office
Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 00:08:42
Full Tape Conversation End Time: 01:07:41
NARA Description:
On December 6, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, Henry A. Kissinger, White House operator, William P. Rogers, George H. W. Bush, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Ronald L. Ziegler, John D. Ehrlichman, Vice President Spiro T. Agnew, and Wilbur D. Mills met in the Oval Office of the White House from 9:09 am to 10:08 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 629-006 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 629-6
Date: December 6, 1971
Time: 9:09 am - 10:08 am
Location: Oval Office
The President met with Henry A. Kissinger; an National Broadcasting Company [NBC] film
crew was present at the beginning of the meeting.
India/Pakistan situation
-Military advisors
-Military attaches
-Military action
-Air fight
-Knock out oil supplies in Karachi
3
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 629-6 (cont.)
-Ground forces
-Status
-Withdrawal resolutions
-General Assembly
-Potential Indian position
-Bangladesh
-Calcutta
-United Nations [UN] action
-Italian resolution in the Security Council
-Kissinger’s view
-Potential failure
-General assembly
-“Uniting for Peace” resolution
-Security Council
-Possible results
-Cease-fire and withdrawal
-Progress
-Indira Gandhi
-Meeting with the president
-Proposals
-Pakistani-Bangladesh negotiations
-Location
-Mujibar Rahman
-Efforts by the Administration
-American cargo ships
-American civilians
-Karachi
-US involvement
-Cease-fire negotiations
-Possible outcome
-Dacca area
-Refugees
-Numbers
-American civilians
-US responsibility
-Ships
-Attacks
-Washington Special Actions Group [WSAG] meeting
-Timing
-Participants
-Melvin R. Laird
4
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 629-6 (cont.)
-Previous conversation with Kissinger
-Timing
-David Packard
-William P. Rogers
-Admn. Thomas H. Moorer
-Gen. William C. Westmoreland
-Richard M. Helms
-John B. Connally
-Economic assistance
-Possible US action
-UN
-World community
-East Pakistan
-Possible scenarios
-Economy
-Relations with India
The President talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 9:09 am and
9:19 am.
[Conversation No. 629-6A]
[See Conversation No. 16-13]
[End of telephone conversation]
UN
-George H.W. Bush
-Forthcoming telephone call from the President to Bush
-Timing
Cambodia
President’s schedule
The President talked with William P. Rogers between 9:19 am and 9:24 am.
[Conversation No. 629-6B]
[See Conversation No. 16-14; one item has been withdrawn from the conversation]
5
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 629-6 (cont.)
[End of telephone conversation]
India-Pakistan situation
-Connally
-Talk with Kissinger
-Timing
Cambodia
-Military situation
-Stability
-South Vietnamese
Strategic Arms Limitation Talks [SALT]
-Andrei A. Gromyko
-Talk with the President
-Defensive-offensive weapons
-Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR] presentation
-The President’s May 20, 1971 statement
-Gromyko’s previous visit to the US
-Land based weapons
-Closeness between the USSR and US
Paris Peace Talks
-North Vietnamese
-Withdrawal
-Prisoners of war [POWs]
-Nguyen Van Thieu
-Overthrow
-POWs
-Kissinger’s view
-North Vietnam proposal
-Seven point proposal
-Point one
-US assistance
-Withdrawal
-Type
-Point two
-Thieu overthrow
-Linked to Point one
-Position
-State Department report
6
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 629-6 (cont.)
-Le Duc Tho
-Health
-Recovery
Middle East
-Meeting with Golda Meir
-League of Women
-Meir
-Security concerns
-US
-Balance of power
-Note to be changed
-Diplomatic flexibility
-Kissinger's meeting with Yitzhak Rabin
-US and Israeli position
-Understanding
President’s schedule
-Trips and meetings
-Azores
-Timing
-Bermuda
-Timing
-Key Biscayne
-California
-Head of State meetings
-Rogers to meet with his counterpart
-Foreign policy
-Connally to meet with his counterpart
-Economics
-Complex issues
-Canada
-Congressional leadership breakfast
-International monetary situation
-Trade
-Importance
-People’s Republic of China [PRC] and USSR meetings
-Meetings with PRC and USSR leaders
-Timing
-Monetary issue
-Pierre E. Trudeau [?]
7
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 629-6 (cont.)
-European forces
-PRC
-Future of the alliance
-Trudeau
-Economic issues
-Europeans
-Interest in US attitudes
-Mutual and Balanced Force Reductions [MBFR]
-USSR
-Moscow and Peking
Kissinger talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 9:24 am and 9:37
am.
[Conversation No. 629-6C]
[See Conversation No. 16-15]
[End of telephone conversation]
Schedule
-Meetings with Heads of State
-Time considerations
-Eisaku Sato
-Georges J.R. Pompidou
-Potential language problem with foreign leaders
-Time
Bush
-Kissinger’s previous conversations with Bush
-UN vote
-Statements
**************************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4
[National Security]
[Duration: 43s ]
8
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 629-6 (cont.)
PRESIDENT’S SCHEDULE
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4
**************************************************************************
Kissinger and the President talked with Bush between 9:37 am and 9:42 am.
[Conversation No. 629-6D]
[See Conversation No. 16-16]
H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman entered at 9:37 am.
[End of telephone conversation]
Maps
-Kissinger delivery
India-Pakistan situation
-Attaches
-Troops
Kissinger left at 9:42 am.
The President's schedule
-Rogers
-Executive Office Building [EOB]
Transportation problems
-James D. Hodgson's testimony
-Timing
-Farm belt
-Farm bureau
-Earl L. Butz's address
-Legislation
-Congressional failures
-Welfare reform
-Relief to cities
9
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 629-6 (cont.)
-Revenue sharing
-Health bill
-Bill to stop labor disputes in transportation
-Importance to Americans
-Railroad strike
-Dock strikes
-Cost to farmers and consumers
-Lack of hearings
-Cabinet officers' support
-Hodgson
-Butz
-Public opinion
-Percentages
-New labor legislation
-Pressure
-Actions taken
-Speeches
-Interest groups
-Letters
-Ronald L. Ziegler
-Clark MacGregor
-Issues
-Welfare reform
-Social Security increases
-Revenue sharing
-Government reorganization
-Transportation strikes
-Lack of action
-Congress’ accountability
Economy
-George H. Gallup poll
-Public opinion
-Stronger wage-price controls
-Percentage
-Labor union leaders' opinions
-Louis Harris poll
-Percentage
-Favor the President's economic policy
-Tax bill
10
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 629-6 (cont.)
Ziegler entered at 9:44 am.
Leadership meeting
-Congressional leadership breakfast
-India-Pakistan Briefing
-Rogers
-Briefing the Senate Leadership
-Leadership
-US policy
-Arms aid to India
-UN vote
-Talks with Meir
-Balance of power
-Israel
-Possible push for a truce
-Legislative situation
-Recess
-Economic Stabilization Bill
-Wayne L. Hays
-Pressure
-Leonard Garment [?]
-Beginning of next session
-Timing
-India-Pakistan situation
-Congressional situation
-Focus and attention of the day
-Releases
-Executive Order No. 11248
-Wage-price board
-Salary levels
President’s schedule
-WSAG meeting
-Rogers
-Laird
-Moorer
-Westmoreland
-Helms
-Connally
-Time and place
-EOB
11
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 629-6 (cont.)
-Trudeau meeting
-The President's previous telephone conversation with Bush
-WSAG meeting
-Kissinger
Anwar el-Sadat
-Terence F. Smith [?] article
-State Department
-The President's meeting with Meir
-Israelis
-Balance of power
-Proposed action
-Organization of Arab Republics [OAR]
-Attempt to maintain the balance of power and the truce
-Talks
-Assurance to the Israelis
-Policy
-Possible changes
-Courtesy to Sadat
-USSR
-Sadat
Haldeman and Ziegler left at 9:54 am.
John D. Ehrlichman entered at an unknown time after 9:54 am.
The President's schedule
-Meeting
-Vice President
-Representatives of states
-The President's attendance
-Opening
-Legislative program
-Public education
-Real estate taxation
-Congress
-Senate
-Wilbur D. Mills
-Assurances
-Finance
-Ehrlichman’s conversation with an unknown person
12
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 629-6 (cont.)
-Tax bill
-Budget
-Mills
-Responsibility
-Call from the President
-Ehrlichman’s approval
The President talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 9:54 am and
9:57 am.
[Conversation No. 629-6E]
[See Conversation No. 16-17]
[End of telephone conversation]
Tax bill
-Mills
-Delay
-Duration
Schedule
-Representatives of states meeting
-Vice President
-Purpose
-Cabinet
-Domestic Council
-Recommendations
-Interest groups
-Association of Governors
-Association of County Executives and Cities
-Association of Mayors
-Meeting in Hawaii
-Attended by the Vice President
-Recommendations
-Domestic Council
Spiro T. Agnew entered at 9:57 am.
Tax bill
-Mills
13
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 629-6 (cont.)
-The President and Vice President
National League of Cities meeting
-Honolulu
-Association of Mayors
-The President's proposal
-Mills
-Recommendations
-Agnew's forthcoming call to Mills
The President talked with Mills between 10:01 and 10:06 am.
[Conversation No. 629-6F]
[See Conversation No. 16-18; one item has been withdrawn from the conversation]
[End of telephone conversation]
National League of Cities meeting
-Honolulu
-Richard G. Lugar
-Mayor of Indianapolis
-Spirit of cooperation
-Samuel Massell
-Mayor of Atlanta
-Congress and the Administration
Representatives of states meeting
-Congressional relations
-Mills
-John W. Byrnes
-Tax bill
-Ways and Means Committee
-Mills proposal
National League of Cities meeting in Honolulu
-Constructive meetings
-Edwin L. Harper
Ehrlichman and Agnew left at 10:08 am.
14
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 629-6 (cont.)