Conversation: 671-001
Prev: 670-023 Next: 671-002Start Date: 14-Feb-1972 4:09 PM
End Date: 14-Feb-1972 6:19 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Malraux, Andre; Porson, Sophia K.; Kissinger, Henry A.; Butterfield, Alexander P.; Sanchez, Manolo; Woods, Rose Mary;Recording Device: Oval Office
Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 00:00:28
Full Tape Conversation End Time: 01:35:25
NARA Description:
On February 14, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, Andre Malraux, Sophia K. Porson, Henry A. Kissinger, Alexander P. Butterfield, Manolo Sanchez, and Rose Mary Woods met in the Oval Office of the White House from 4:09 pm to 6:19 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 671-001 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 670-23/671-1
Date: February 14, 1972
Time: 4:09 pm - 6:19 pm
Location: Oval Office
The President met with Andre Malraux, Sophia K. Porson and Henry A. Kissinger.
[This is a continuation of Conversation No. 670-23; an unknown portion of this meeting was not
recorded while the tape was being changed.]
Vietnam
-Withdrawal
-Relevance
-Chinese power
-October Revolution
People’s Republic of China [PRC] and Japan
-Foreign policy
-Importance
-Germany
-US policy towards PRC
-Time limit
-Vietnam
-PRC activity
Foreign policy
-Japan
-Chinese
-Soviets
-US withdrawal
-Pacific
-Japan
-Economic
-Potential status
-History
-Sense of destiny
-Psyche
-Nuclear commitment
-West Germany
-Defense
-Nuclear commitment by US
-Terms of peace
2
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 670-23/671-1 (cont.)
-PRC
-Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR]
-Japanese concern
-Withdrawal
-Pacific
-US
-Bases
-Japan
-USSR
-Possible threat
-World peace
-European alliance
-Withdrawal of forces
-Germans
-USSR
-Influence with East Germany
-Options
-“Balance of Power”
-Future
-Strength
-Europe
-Market
-US
-Japan
-US nuclear defense
-PRC
-Potential for safer world
-US
-Critics
-Domestic and abroad
-World role
-President’s view
-PRC
-Chou En-lai
-Mao Tse-tung
-Non-expansionist power
-World role
-US
-Malraux
-Anti-Memoirs
-World power
3
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 670-23/671-1 (cont.)
-War
-Peace
-US
-Responsibility
-Withdrawal
-Japan
-Germany
-Assistance and possible guarantees
-Stable world
-Withdrawal
-Pacific
-President’s view
-Critics
-Abroad
-Isolationist theorists in the US
-Advice
-Europe
-PRC
-Policy comparison
-US role
-Circumstances
-Pacific
-Japan
-Europe
-North Atlantic Treaty Organization [NATO]
-Possible consequences
-Malraux
-US
-Withdrawal
-World’s people
-Opinion
-Skepticism
-Pacific
-Europe
-Malraux’s view
-US
-Withdrawal
-NATO
-Bilateral Agreement
-Isolationists
-Gaullism
4
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 670-23/671-1 (cont.)
-United Europe
-Great Britain
-Similarity to the Balkans
-Possible difficulties for US
-Economics
-Politics
-Defense
-Gen. Charles A.J.M de Gaulle
-Britain
-Japan
-Lack of atomic capabilities
-West Germany
-West Germany
-World War II
-Japan
-West Germany and Japan
-Self-defense
-Nuclear
-Sense of destiny
-Protection by another power
-World peace
-Asia
-US withdrawal
-Prospects
-Press
-Mao Tse-tung
-US world policy
-John Foster Dulles
-Japan
-Withdrawal
-Hesitation
-Asia
-US
-World responsibility
-Importance to USSR
5
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 670-23/671-1 (cont.)
The President’s schedule
-Malraux
-Dinner
-Location
-William P. Rogers
-Kissinger
-PRC leaders
-Appreciation for meeting
-Dinner
-Past meetings
-1969
-PRC
Foreign policy
-De Gaulle
-The President’s meeting in 1963
-Prescience
-US
-Policy at that time
-USSR
-PRC
-Relations with USSR and PRC
-Importance
-De Gaulle’s perspective
-Kissinger’s meeting in 1959
Malraux and Porson left at 5:28 pm.
The President’s forthcoming trip to the PRC
-PRC leaders’ expectations
-The President
-View of history
-Malraux
-Health
-Forthcoming dinner
-Mao Tse-tung
-The President’s age
-World leadership
-Age
-John F. Kennedy
-Mao Tse-tung’s possible opinion
6
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 670-23/671-1 (cont.)
-De Gaulle
-Historical figures
-Bluntness
Foreign policy
-Chinese
-US understanding
-International situation
-Unimportantance of tactical details
-Chou En-lai
-Mao Tse-tung
-General discussion
-Vietnam
-Malraux’s views
-US
-Withdrawal
-Japan
-Europe
-US world role
-Domestic critics
-Lack of understanding
-PRC
-Withdrawal
**************************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[National Security]
[Duration: 53s ]
PRC
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
**************************************************************************
-Malraux
7
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 670-23/671-1 (cont.)
-Kissinger
-Agreement
-Chinese
-Compared to Soviets
-History
-Confucius
-Philosophy
-Differences
-Principles
-World domination
-Malraux
-Soviets
-Future Presidents
-USSR compared to PRC
-Relations with US
-Balance of power
-USSR
-PRC
-Vietnam
-Conduct of war
-Consequences
-Choices
-Malraux
-De Gaulle
-Meeting with the President
-Statement
-PRC
-PRC
-Ambivalence toward US
-India-Pakistan War
-US stance
-Asia
-US relevance
-Vietnam
-Kissinger’s view
-Withdrawal
-History
-De Gaulle
-Algeria
-North Vietnamese
-Meetings with Kissinger
8
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 670-23/671-1 (cont.)
-H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
-Impact on domestic opponents
-Sense of urgency
-Importance
-Prisoners of war [POWs]
-Secret meetings
-Cambodia
-Laos
-Public opinion
-Points in agreement
-South Vietnamese
-Structure
-Non-Communist
-PRC
-Malraux’s view
-Southeast Asia
-Domination
-Numbers
-Means
-Subversion culture
-Communism
-Japan
-Standard of living
-Communism
-PRC
-Competition
-Vietnam
-Withdrawal
-PRC
-Southeast Asia
-PRC
-Malraux’s statement about foreign policy
-Posture
-Reception for President of Somalia
-Kissinger’s concern
-Counterweight to USSR
-Subcontinent
-Global policy
-Domination
-USSR and PRC
-Japan
9
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 670-23/671-1 (cont.)
-US relations
-Importance of maintaining alliance
-Malraux
-Experience and age
-Cambodia
-Prison
-US invitation
-President’s questions to Malraux
-Chou En-lai
-The President’s forthcoming questions
-Tone
-US
-World role
-Withdrawal
-Formosa [Taiwan, Republic of China]
-PRC
-Communiqué
-PRS
-John B. Connally and Rogers
-Lack of experience with leaders
-Connally
-Talk with Kissinger
Alexander P. Butterfield entered at an unknown time after 5:28 pm.
Location of a briefing book
Butterfield left at an unknown time before 6:00 pm.
10
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 670-23/671-1 (cont.)
**************************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
[National Security]
[Duration: 44s ]
PRC
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
**************************************************************************
-Communiqué
-Language
-Agreement
-Formosa
-Possible criticisms
-James L. Buckley
-William F. Buckley, Jr.
-South Korea and Japan
-Treaty commitments
-Formosa
-Separate section
-Formosa
-Treaty
-Rogers
-Connally
-Involvement
-Rogers
-Connally
-Europeans
-Chinese
-Kissinger’s view
-Foreign relations
-Desire to maintain a peaceful settlement
-Language
-Rogers
-Kissinger
11
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 670-23/671-1 (cont.)
-Formosa
-Re-write
-Gen. Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
-First draft
-PRC commitment
-Force in lieu of a settlement
-Formosa
-Treaty
-US Commitment
-Difficulties
-Mao Tse-tung
-Talk with Kissinger
-State Department
-Language
-South Korea
-State Department
-The President’s meetings
-Construction of communiqué
-Difficulties
-Chou En-lai
-Mao Tse-tung
-Chou En-lai
-Message from Kissinger
-Meeting
-Plenary session
-Workout strategy
-Chou En-lai
-Chou En-lai
-President’s upcoming meeting
-Mao Tse-tung
-Rogers
-Kissinger’s possible explanation
-Bermuda
-Sir Burke Trend
-Kissinger
-Rogers
-France
-Germans
-Established practices
-Trip
-Need for success
12
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 670-23/671-1 (cont.)
-Communiqué
-News magazines
-Foreign policy
-Renunciation of forces
-Establishment of common principles
-Conduct
-Opposition to hegemony in Pacific
-Possible interpretation
-Danger
-Sino-US alliance
-USSR
-Japan
-Rogers
-Kissinger’s view
Manolo Sanchez entered at an unknown time after 5:28 pm.
Refreshments
The President left at an unknown time before 6:00 pm.
Sanchez
-The President
-PRC trip
-Attendance
-Schedule
-Key Biscayne
**************************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4
[Privacy]
[Duration: 26s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4
**************************************************************************
13
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 670-23/671-1 (cont.)
The President entered at an unknown time before 6:00 pm.
Sanchez left at an unknown time before 6:00 pm.
PRC
-Communiqué
-Changes
-Indian section
-Language
-Use of “revolution”
-Taiwan
-Possible acceptance
-Kissinger
-Talk with Chou En-lai
-Mao Tse-tung
-Talk with the President
-US domestic debate
-Bureaucracy
-Rogers
-Chou En-lai
-Promises by Kissinger
-Suggested response
-Language
-Trade
Malraux
-Stature in France
-Gaullism
-Europe
-Balkanization
-Neutral
-Finland
PRC
-Plenary session
-Kissinger
-Draft
-Opening statement
John N. Mitchell
-Resignation
14
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 670-23/671-1 (cont.)
-Timing
-Involvement
Connally
-Praise from Kissinger
Rose Mary Woods entered at 6:00 pm.
Letter
-Mitchell
-The President’s reply
-Copy
-Delivery
Timing
Woods left at 6:01 pm.
Butterfield entered at an unknown time after 6:01 pm.
Porson
-Translation skills
-Malraux dinner
-Possible invitation
-Unknown male translator
-Porson compared to Lt. Gen. Vernon A. Walters
-Understanding
-H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
-The President’s preference for male translators
-Walters
-The President’s appreciation for efforts
-Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon
Butterfield left at an unknown time before 6:19 pm.
PRC
-Trip
-Importance
-Need to avoid irritations to the President
-Rigors of agenda
-Chinese
-Qualities
15
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 670-23/671-1 (cont.)
-Soviets
-Comparisons
-Possible posture by the President
Vietnamese negotiations
-Paris trip by Kissinger
-Knowledge
-Haldeman
-Haig
-State Department
-Ronald L. Ziegler
-Le Duc Tho
-Press
-Departure
-Andrews Air Force Base
-The President
-Florida
-Walker’s Key
-Strategy
-Helicopter flight from Key Biscayne
-Strategy
-Return flight to Andrews AFB
-Camp David
-Helicopter to base
-Departure with the President
-Timing
-Peace proposal
-Reaction by Edmund S. Muskie
-Reaction by North Vietnam
-Le Duc Tho
-Meeting with Kissinger
-Lunch
-Answer to invitation
-Timing
-Text
-Walters
-Lunch
-Date
-Walters
-North Vietnamese
-Meal
16
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 670-23/671-1 (cont.)
-Significance
-Communists
-Negotiations
-Korean War
-The President’s actions
-Vietnam as national issue
-Troop withdrawals
-North Vietnamese
-Offensive
-PRC trip
-Effect
-Public opinion
-Tet
-1968
-Differences
-PRC trip
-Publicity
-Moscow trip
-North Vietnamese
-Pressure on the President
-Possible offensive
-Timing
-Moscow
-US position
-Force
-Pacific Ocean
-India-Pakistan War
-Carriers
-Bay of Bengal
-USSR
-PRC
-East Pakistan
-West Pakistan
-PRC policy
-Soviets
-Leonid I. Brezhnev
-The President’s letter
-Chou En-lai
-The President’s letter
-Bombing
-Movement of forces
17
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 670-23/671-1 (cont.)
-Policy
-North Vietnamese
-Offers
-US options
-Communists
-Maoists
-Peace conference
-Versailles
-Chinese
-Encouragement prior to trip
-Peking
-Chinese
-Paris trip by Kissinger
-Chou En-lai
-Anatoliy F. Dobrynin
-Kissinger’s forthcoming talk
-Moscow
-Peking
-War
-North Vietnamese casualties
-Italian journalists
-Number
-Compared to US population
-North Vietnamese
-Cambodia
-Laos
-Number of forces
-US withdrawal
-Possible date
-Possible North Vietnamese offensive
-October 1972
-US public reaction
-Withdrawal of troops
-Weather
-South Vietnamese
-Strength
Butterfield entered at an unknown time after 6:01 pm.
Delivery of briefing book
18
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 670-23/671-1 (cont.)
Butterfield left at an unknown time before 6:19 pm.
Vietnam
-US plans
Malraux
-Dinner
-Talking
-Guest list
-Toast
-Kissinger
-The President
-Speech
-Length
Kissinger left at 6:19 pm.