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Conversation: 659-003

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Start Date: 28-Jan-1972 11:32 AM

End Date: 28-Jan-1972 12:16 PM

Participants:

Nixon, Richard M. (President)Kissinger, Henry A.Bull, Stephen B.Barzel, RainerWeber, HeinzWhite House photographer

Recording Device: Oval Office

Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 00:59:51

Full Tape Conversation End Time: 01:45:16

659a.mp3

659b.mp3

659c.mp3

NARA Description:

On January 28, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, Henry A. Kissinger, Stephen B. Bull, Rainer Barzel, Heinz Weber, and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:32 am to 12:16 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 659-003 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid:

Conversation No. 659-3

Date: January 28, 1972
Time: 11:32 am - 12:16 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Henry A. Kissinger and Stephen B. Bull.

     The President’s schedule
          -Rainer Barzel

Bull left at an unknown time before 11:36 am.

     Vietnam negotiations
          -Cease-fire terms
               -Prisoners of War [POWS]
                      -Discussion on May 31, 1971
                      -Link to political solution
               -North Vietnamese position
                      -Point Seven
               -POWs for troop withdrawal deadline
                      -Effect
          -End of war
               -James B. (“Scotty”) Reston
               -Kissinger’s call from Robert Kleiman, January 28, 1972
                      -New York Times
                      -Vietnamization
          -Cease-fire
          -Opposition to administration
               -Compared to North Vietnam
                      -Ronald L. Ziegler
          -North Vietnamese strategy
               -Talks
                      -Timing
                                             14

                          NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                     Tape Subject Log
                                       (rev. 10/06)
                                                                       Conv. No. 659-3 (cont.)


                           -November 1971
                     -Xuan Thuy
                     -Use by North Vietnam
                     -Response to proposal
                -TASS report
                           -Pravda
                                 -Hanoi correspondent
                -Prospects for settlement
                -Link with military offensive
                     -US domestic situation
                     -Bombing
                           -March, May 1972

Barzel and Heinz Weber entered at 11:36 am; the White House photographer was present at the
beginning of the meeting.

     Introduction

     Record of meeting

     Barzel’s schedule
          -Travel
                -Moscow
                -Georges J.R. Pompidou

     Gratitude for reception

     US relations with West Germany
          -[David] Kenneth Rush
          -Berlin
                -Communication with the President
          -Vietnam
                -The President’s peace proposal speech, January 25, 1972
                     -Effect
          -Mutual friendship
          -The President’s 1971 meetings with European heads of state
                -Frustration in Europe
                     -Soviet Union
                     -European affairs
          -European Community
                -Cooperation
                                  15

               NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                          Tape Subject Log
                            (rev. 10/06)
                                                            Conv. No. 659-3 (cont.)


     -Mutual problems
           -Environment
           -Domestic policy
     -Economic unity
           -Soviet rhetoric
                 -Tone
-People’s Republic of China [PRC]
     -Recognition of European Community
           -Compared to Soviet Union
     -The President’s policy
-Soviet Union
     -The President’s forthcoming trips to the PRC and Soviet Union
     -Relations with West Germany
     -Intentions
           -Tone
           -Neutralization of West Germany
                 -Détente
                       -Effect on military spending
     -Berlin Wall
           -Shootings
                 -Aleksei N. Kosygin’s response
     -Soviet view of free Europe
     -Soviet goals
           -West Germany’s ties to free Europe
     -Stability of policy
     -Concern about PRC
     -Mutuality
     -Détente with Europe
           -PRC
           -View of free Europe
           -Tactical considerations
                 -Europe
                 -Middle East
                 -PRC
           -Leonid I. Brezhnev
           -Kosygin
           -Long range view
           -The President’s forthcoming trips
           -US public opinion
                 -Intellectuals
                       -Naivete
                            16

         NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                    Tape Subject Log
                      (rev. 10/06)
                                                     Conv. No. 659-3 (cont.)


      -Place of conflict
            -Prospects
      -Place of competition
            -Currency devaluation, trade
-The President’s meeting with Willy Brandt
      -Berlin settlement
      -German treaty
            -Propiety of US effort to influence
            -Brandt’s view
            -Kosygin
-Position vis-à-vis European Community, West Germany
-Division of Germany
-US position
      -Meeting with Brandt
            -West German productivity
      -Value of ties with West Germany
      -West Germany’s value to Europe
      -West Germany’s ties to freedom
      -Price of detente
            -Retention of ties
      -German treaty
            -Vote
-Soviet trip
      -The President’s meeting with Brandt
      -Strategic Arms Limitation Talks [SALT]
      -Commitment to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization [NATO]
      -Reduction of forces
      -SALT
      -European Security Conference
      -”Pig in a poke” term
            -Meaning
      -Brandt meeting
            -Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
            -Kissinger’s health
-Soviet tactics
      -Detente
      -European Security Conference
            -US interest
                  -Agenda setting
      -Andrei A. Gromyko’s visit to the President
            -European Security Conference
                                  17

               NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                          Tape Subject Log
                            (rev. 10/06)
                                                            Conv. No. 659-3 (cont.)


                       -Purpose
                       -Soviet view
     -Mutual interests
           -Berlin
           -Middle East
-Progress in world relations
     -The President’s lack of sentimentality
     -Cultural exchanges
     -Relations between leaders
           -Personal and professional
                 -Dobrynin, Gromyko
                 -Separation
                       -Substantative discussions
-War in Europe
     -Kosygin’s remarks
           -Timing
                 -India
     -Interests
           -India
           -Vietnam
     -US commitment to Europe
     -US commitment to Middle East
     -European Security Conference
           -Benefits
                 -Topics
                       -Arms limitation, trade
                 -Basis
                       -Pragmatism
                             -Sentimentality
                                   -Personal relations
                             -Substance
                 -German view
-Konrad Adenauer
     -The President’s visit to Gen. Charles A.J.M. DeGaulle and Adenauer, 1963,
     1967
           -US relations with Soviet Union and PRC
                 -Condominiums
                       -Advisibility
     -Talk with Kissinger, 1958
           -US relations with Soviet Union and PRC
-Human rights
                                               18

                             NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. 10/06)
                                                                     Conv. No. 659-3 (cont.)



     Gift presentation
           -Greetings to West German friends
           -US goal
                -West German role

     Kissinger’s schedule

Kissinger, et al. left at 12:16 pm.