Easy NixonAbout

Conversation: 637-003

Prev:  637-002 Next: 637-004

Start Date: 10-Dec-1971 8:45 AM

End Date: 10-Dec-1971 9:42 AM

Participants:

Nixon, Richard M. (President)Kissinger, Henry A.

Recording Device: Oval Office

Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 00:06:19

Full Tape Conversation End Time: 01:13:16

637a.mp3

637b.mp3

NARA Description:

On December 10, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger met in the Oval Office of the White House from 8:45 am to 9:42 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 637-003 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid:

Conversation No. 637-3

Date: December 12, 1971
Time: 8:45 am - 9:42 am
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Henry A. Kissinger.

     India-Pakistan situation
           -Messages
           -Agha Muhommad Yahya Khan
                -Leonid I. Brezhnev proposal
                       -Acceptance
                -People’s Republic of China [PRC]
           -Cease-fire
           -US-Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR]
                -Possible setback
           -The president's meeting with Vladimir V. Matskevich


**************************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[National Security]
[Duration: 27s ]


     INDIA-PAKISTAN RELATIONS


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1

**************************************************************************


          -Public relations
               -Press conferences and backgrounders
               -John A. Scali
               -Ronald L. Ziegler
               -Departments
                      -Usefulness
               -George H.W. Bush
                                             3

                        NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                    Tape Subject Log
                                      (rev. 10/06)
                                                             Conv. No. 637-3 (cont.)


             -John A. Scali and Ziegler


**************************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
[National Security]
[Duration: 2m 41s ]


    INDIA-PAKISTAN RELATIONS


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2

**************************************************************************


        -USSR
             -Military aid to India
                   -Numbers and amounts
             -Scali
             -Ziegler
        -Yahya Khan
             -Alignment with the US
        -Kissinger call to Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
             -PRC
                                               4

                          NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. 10/06)
                                                                       Conv. No. 637-3 (cont.)


**************************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
[National Security]
[Duration: 15s ]


    PRC


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3

**************************************************************************


                           -Kissinger’s refusal to talk with the PRC
          -PRC-USSR
                -Comparisons
                -Thomas W. Braden article
                     -Kissinger and the President
                           -PRC trip
          -Kissinger’s previous visit with Roy H. Jenkins
                -Jenkins accomplishments
                     -Common Market
          -Braden
                -PRC trip
                -Braden’s opinion
          -Indian ambassador
                -Press campaign
          -East Pakistan
          -The President's possible statement
                -Labeling India as the aggressors
          -Indians
                -Press
                     -Susceptibility to public opinion
                -Rowland Evans
                -USSR support
                                             5

                        NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                    Tape Subject Log
                                      (rev. 10/06)
                                                              Conv. No. 637-3 (cont.)


                    -Press
                         -United Nations [UN] vote
                    -Backgrounder
                    -Washington Post


**************************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4
[National Security]
[Duration: 3s ]


    INDIA


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4

**************************************************************************


         -The President's statement
               -Kissinger’s disagreement with the President
         -Kissinger’s previous conversation with Bhutto
               -PRC
         -Pakistan refugee situation
               -Proposed action
         -Indian foreign minister
               -Refusal to grant reassurances
                     -Kashmir
         -USSR response
               -Yuli M. Vorontsov
                     -Talk with Kissinger
                          -UN Security Council
         -Press statement from White House
               -UN General Assembly resolution
                     -Results
                          -India’s refusal to accept
               -Kissinger’s meeting at the State Department
                     -Timing
               -East Pakistan
                                         6

                    NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                Tape Subject Log
                                  (rev. 10/06)
                                                                    Conv. No. 637-3 (cont.)


                 -Dacca
           -Contents
                 -Wording of statement
           -Draft
     -Backgrounder
     -Leaders’ meeting
           -Aid to India
     -Purpose of statement
           -PRC
           -USSR
           -Indians
           -American public opinion
                 -American apathy towards India-Pakistan conflict
     -Statement
           -Ziegler
           -William P. Rogers
     -Yahya Khan
     -Gandhi
           -Public apathy
     -Brezhnev
           -Hotline
                 -Great Britain
                 -Contents
                       -Security Council
                       -Joint action with the USSR
                       -Ceasefire
                       -Advantage
                             -Urgency
                             -Public record
     -State Department
     -British
           -Earl of Cromer [George R.S. Baring]
           -Edward R.G. Heath
           -Sir Alexander F. (“Alec”) Douglas-Home
           -USSR Naval presence in the Indian ocean
                 -British concern
           -Kissinger's talk with Cromer
                 -Discussing the President’s options

[Pause]
                                           7

                      NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                  Tape Subject Log
                                    (rev. 10/06)
                                                                Conv. No. 637-3 (cont.)


India-Pakistan situation
      -British and French
            -US relations
                  -Singapore
                  -Indian Ocean
            -Cromer
                  -US message to the British
      -UN Security Council
            -State Department
            -Ceasefire and withdrawal
            -UN General Assembly resolution
      -Timing
      -Ceasefire resolution
      -Public statement
            -Purpose and importance
                  -USSR
                  -PRC
                  -Bhutto
                  -American public opinion
            -Rogers
            -Ziegler
            -Cambodia comparison
      -Cromer
            -Call from Kissinger
                  -Importance of discussions with the British
                  -French
                        -Involvement
      -USSR
            -Hotline
            -The President’s meeting with Matskevich
            -Vorontsov
                  -Possible reply from the USSR
      -PRC
      -US fleet
      -USSR tanks and ships
            -India
                  -Lack of response from “liberal” media
                  -US policy
            -Comparisons to current situation
                  -Czechoslovakia
                  -South Africa
                                        8

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                               Tape Subject Log
                                 (rev. 10/06)
                                                        Conv. No. 637-3 (cont.)


                    -“Exposure” of liberals
                         -Morality

Vietnam negotiations
     -Meeting
           -William J. Porter
           -Cancellation
                 -Duration
     -USSR
     -North Vietnamese
           -Bombing halt
           -Kissinger's trip to Paris
                 -Peace talks
           -Porter
           -Public statement
           -Paris
           -January 1972 announcement
                 -Sign of strength
                        -Advantages
                 -PRC trip
           -Porter
           -Bombing halt
                 -Henry Cabot Lodge
                 -Unknown person
                 -David K.E. Bruce
     -American public opinion
           -Percentage of support
     -January 1972
           -Two months announcement
                 -Reasoning for delay
                        -Infiltration
     -PRC trip
     -Prisoners of war [POW] issue
     -US troops
           -Numbers
     -Porter's return from Paris
           -Immediacy
           -January announcement
     -North Vietnam
           -Strikes
           -PRC
                                                 9

                           NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                       Tape Subject Log
                                         (rev. 10/06)
                                                                Conv. No. 637-3 (cont.)


                      -Kissinger
                           -UN

     India-Pakistan situation
           -PRC, USSR, Indians
                -Effect of Vietnam bombing
                      -Toughness


**************************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5
[National Security]
[Duration: 3s ]


     PRC


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5

**************************************************************************


           -UN
           -President’s instructions
                 -Deadline

Haig entered at an unknown time after 8:45 am.

           -PRC meeting
               -New York
                    -Timing
                          -Kissinger’s availability
               -Haig’s schedule
                    -Huang Hua

**************************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 6
[National Security]
                                            10

                         NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                    Tape Subject Log
                                      (rev. 10/06)
                                                              Conv. No. 637-3 (cont.)


[Duration: 13s ]


     PRC


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 6

**************************************************************************


               -Haig’s schedule
               -Kissinger’s schedule
               -Haig’s schedule
                    -Upcoming meeting with Huang Hua
                           -Timing
               -Kissinger’s schedule
                    -Azores
               -Press release


**************************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 7
[National Security]
[Duration: 4m 18s ]


     INDIA-PAKISTAN RELATIONS


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 7

**************************************************************************


               -Pakistan
                    -India
                          -USSR
                          -Balance of power
                               -Possible changes
                                               11

                           NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. 10/06)
                                                                Conv. No. 637-3 (cont.)


                            -Middle East
                            -Indonesia
                            -Japanese
                            -Europeans
                            -US
                                 -Latin America
                -Television
                -Cambodia
                -Laos
           -Kissinger's schedule
           -Azores trip
           -Haig
                -Attendance at PRC meeting


**************************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 8
[National Security]
[Duration: 5m 55s ]


     INDIA-PAKISTAN RELATIONS


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 8

**************************************************************************


Kissinger and Haig left at 9:42 am.