Conversation No. 642-20

Date: January 3, 1972
Time: 10:23 am - 10:56 am
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Gerard C. Smith, William P. Rogers and Henry A. Kissinger; the White
House photographer and members of the press were present at the beginning of the meeting.

     Greetings

     Smith's schedule
          -Trip to Vienna
                -London
                                        29

                       NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                Tape Subject Log
                                  (rev. 10/06)
                                                                  Conv. No. 642-20 (cont.)


Arrangements for photograph session
     -Seating
           -Angles

The President's schedule

The President's interview with Dan Rather, January 2, 1972
     -Lack of question on Strategic Arms Limitation Talks [SALT]

[Photograph session]

Photos
     -Smith's address
          -Unknown embassy

[General conversation]

SALT
    -Report by verification panel
         -Problem areas
    -Rogers's experience
    -Popular opinion
         -Opposition to agreement
               -Arms race
                     -Soviet escalation
                           -US response
         -American Security Council [ASC]
               -Conservatism
               -Henry Tolbin [sp?]
               -Television shows
                     -Soviet threat
                           -Congress
                     -Soviet escalation
                           -Soviet tests
                                 -Number
                                       -Nuclear Test Ban Treaty
         -Soviet intentions and power
         -US negotiations
               -Appeal to public
                     -Right and left
               -Political impact
                                 30

               NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                          Tape Subject Log
                            (rev. 10/06)
                                                      Conv. No. 642-20 (cont.)


               -World opinion
-Treaty
     -Kissinger
     -Antiballistic missile [ABM] agreement
-Executive Agreement
     -Congress
           -Filibuster
     -John W. Bricker Amendment
     -Treaty
-Exchange of letters
     -Georges J.R. Pompidou
           -Azores
-Sub-launched ballistic missiles [SLBM]
-Pompidou
     -Letter
           -Maurice Schumann
-SLBMs
     -Smith's proposal
           -Defense Department
           -Details
                 -Tube numbers
           -Congressional views
-Final agreement
     -Effect on domestic front
     -Defense Department
           -Proposals
                 -Letters from Melvin R. Laird
                 -Details
                       -Interceptors
                             -Number
     -Possible criticism
           -Defense Department
                 -Views of Air Force, Navy and Army
                 -Lobbying groups
                       -Effects
                       -ASC
     -Proposal
           -Reporting
                 -Control
                       -State Department
                 -Soviet Union
                                   31

               NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                           Tape Subject Log
                             (rev. 10/06)
                                                            Conv. No. 642-20 (cont.)


                      -National Security Council [NSC]
                      -Details
                           -Interceptors
                                 -Number
                                       -Helsinki
     -Timing
           -The President’s forthcoming trip to the People's Republic of China [PRC]
     -Political climate
           -Public opinion
           -Lobbying by Rogers and Kissinger
           -Congressional support
                 -Barry M. Goldwater, John G. Tower, James Buckley and Edward J.
                       Gurney
           -Rogers’s conversations
     -Smith
-The President's goal regarding arms race
-Smith's goal
-Henry M. (“Scoop”) Jackson
-Hyman G. Rickover
-Charley Reinhardt [sp?]
-ASC
-Gen. Earle G. (“Buzz”) Wheeler
-Defense budget
-Soviet budget
-John M. Ashbrook
-Negotiations
     -Pentagon
     -John S. Foster, Jr.
     -Gardiner L. Tucker
     -Foster
           -Experience
     -Tucker
           -Suggestions
     -Foster
           -Influence on Congress
     -Smith's and Foster's previous testimony before Congress
           -[Unknown congressman]
     -Foster
           -Views
           -Compared with Harold Brown
     -John Sherman Cooper
                                   32

                NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                           Tape Subject Log
                             (rev. 10/06)
                                                            Conv. No. 642-20 (cont.)


            -Forthcoming meeting with Smith, January 4, 1972
            -Past support
            -Future in Congress
            -Support of administration
            -Message from the President
                  -Possible meeting
      -Congressional advisors
            -Michael J. Mansfield, Hugh Scott, Cooper and W[illiam] Stuart
                  Symington
            -Symington
                  -Past performance
            -John C. Stennis
                  -Support for administration
                  -Cooper
-Defense budget
      -Possible submarine freeze
            -Soviets
                  -Kissinger
-Nuclear arms race
      -The President's previous conversation with Soviet Agriculture Minister
            [Vladimir V. Matskevich]
      -Parity
            -Land based weapons
      -Submarines
            -Building
                  -Authorization compared to appropriation
                  -Arms control
-ABM
      -Congressional authorization
            -Offensive weapons
      -Laird's previous speech
-Nuclear arms race
      -Offensive weapons
            -US public opinion
      -Smith's suggestions
            -Bill
-India-Pakistan War
      -Effect on US position
            -Soviet Union
                  -Mutual interests
                  -Negotiations
                                              33

                           NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                        Tape Subject Log
                                          (rev. 10/06)
                                                                      Conv. No. 642-20 (cont.)


           -Middle East
           -Mutual trust
                -Trade
           -Offensive weapons controls
                -The President's instructions to Smith
                       -Negotiations
                            -Seriousness of Soviets
                -Intercontinental Ballistic Missile [ICBMs] freeze
                -Heavy missiles freeze
                -Light missiles, launchers and silos conversion
                -Detonation
                -Mobiles
                -Subs
           -Mutual trust
                -Public relations
                -Verification
                -Public opinion
                -Arms race
           -Smith's relations with Congress

     The President's forthcoming trip to PRC
          -People desiring to accompany the President
               -Columbia Broadcasting System [CBS] crew

Smith and Kissinger left at 10:55 am.

     The President's interview with Rather
          -Press coverage
               -Television and radio
          -Question on the President's possible delay tactics regarding Vietnam, PRC and
               Soviet trips, economic program and reelection
               -The President’s response
                      -Newspapers’ view
                      -Bombing pause
                            -Lyndon B. Johnson

     The President's schedule
          -Forthcoming meeting with Rogers

Rogers left at 10:56 am.
                                                34

                          NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. 10/06)
                                                               Conv. No. 642-20 (cont.)