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Conversation: 690-008

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Start Date: 21-Mar-1972 11:00 AM

End Date: 21-Mar-1972 12:36 PM

Participants:

Nixon, Richard M. (President)Erim, NihatHaig, Alexander M., Jr.White House photographerAkbay, CelalBull, Stephen B.

Recording Device: Oval Office

Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 01:16:10

Full Tape Conversation End Time: 02:54:46

690a.mp3

690b.mp3

690c.mp3

NARA Description:

On March 21, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, Nihat Erim, Alexander M. Haig, Jr., White House photographer, Celal Akbay, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:00 am to 12:36 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 690-008 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid:

Conversation No. 690-8

Date: March 21, 1972
Time: 11:00 am - 12:36 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Nihat Erim and Alexander M. Haig, Jr.; members of the press and the
White House photographer were present at the beginning of the meeting; the conversation began
in progress.

     Arrangement of chairs

     The President’s previous visit to Turkey while Vice President

     [Photograph session]
          -Peking

     Press
             -Pens

     Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon’s previous visit to Istanbul

     Haig
             -Introductions
             -North Atlantic Treaty Organization [NATO]

Haig left at 11:06 am.

     Turkey
          -President [Cevdet Sunay]
          -The President’s forthcoming Soviet trip
                -Stay in Istanbul or Ankara
                      -Bosphorous
          -Soviet Union
                                                  9

                             NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                       Tape Subject Log
                                         (rev. 10/06)

                                                                    Conv. No. 690-8 (cont.)
                -Bulgaria
                -Iraq
                -Syria
                      -Baath party

Haig returned at 11:07 am.

     Prime minister
          -Cigars

     The President’s forthcoming trip to Moscow
          -Stay in Istanbul

Celal Akbay entered at 11:09 am.

                -Congressional session
                     -Timing
                -Request
                -The President’s possible visit

     Turkey
          -The President’s view
          -Border countries
          -The President's possible trip
          -Erim
               -Anniversary of Administration
          -Government
          -Border countries
          -Subversives
               -NATO
               -Democratic system
                     -Turkey compared to Czechoslavakia
                           -Death of Jan Masaryk, 1948
          -Army
               -Military coup
                     -Attempted overthrow of government, March 9, 1971
                           -Terrorists
                           -Description of activities
                                 -Communists
                                       -Universities
                                       -High schools
          -Establishment of new government
                                    10

                 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                            Tape Subject Log
                              (rev. 10/06)

                                                      Conv. No. 690-8 (cont.)
      -Erim
-Terrorists
      -Murder of Cunsul General of Israel
      -Bank robbings
      -Attacks on wealthy
-Erim
      -Martial law
            -Anarchists
            -Communists
      -Criticism
      -International law
      -Turkish constitution
            -Laws
                  -Independent judiciary
      -Opposition newspapers
      -Average citizens
-International organizations
      -Stockholm
      -East Germany
      -West Germany
            -Turkish workers abroad
                  -Kurt G. Kiesinger
                  -Willy Brandt
      -Palestine
            -Turkish young people
      -Support for organizations
            -NATO
                  -Visit of US Sixth Fleet
            -Terrorists
            -Communists
-NATO
-Relations with the US and other allies
-Terrorist organization
      -Young Turkish military officers
      -Military prison
      -Young people
            -Mao Tse-tung
            -Karl Marx
            -Che Guevara
-Reorganization of the army
      -Upgrade weapons
            -Aircraft
                                    11

                 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                             Tape Subject Log
                               (rev. 10/06)

                                                          Conv. No. 690-8 (cont.)
                  -Pilots
-Soviet-sponsored socialism
     -Nikita S. Khrushchev
     -West Germany
     -France
            -Jacques Chaban-Delmas
-Terrorist movement
     -Army
     -Universities
     -High schools
     -Professors
     -Army
            -Communists
     -Youth
-Greece
     -Army
            -Response from NATO members
            -Comparison to turkey
                  -Military commaders
                        -Politics
                        -Professional
-Population growth
     -Rate of growth
     -Border area
            -Iran
            -Iraq
            -Syria
     -Five year plan
                  -Standard of living
                        -Higher standard
                        -Schools
                        -Jobs
                              -Export laborers
                        -US support
                              -World Bank
                              -Technological assistance
                  -Poppies
                        -William J. Handley
                        -New crops
                        -US aid since 1947
                        -Impact on the US
                              -New York Times article
                                   12

                NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                            Tape Subject Log
                              (rev. 10/06)

                                                             Conv. No. 690-8 (cont.)
                                -Families
                     -Opium
                          -Halt to smuggling
                                -Handley
                     -Turkish farmers
                          -Compensation
                                -Monetary worth of poppy crop
                     -Success of program
                     -Example for other programs
-Roadways
      -US program, 1947
-Agriculture
      -US role
-Military morale
      -Link with economic and social situation
            -Subversive propaganda
-Individual income levels
      -Compared to Italy
-Membership in European Economic Community
-Erim's meeting with Robert S. McNamara
      -World Bank investment
-Erim's analysis
      -The President’s view
-Relations with the US
      -Alliance
      -Turkish economy
            -Haig’s forthcoming call to McNamara
                  -World Bank
            -Erim's possible meeting with John B. Connally
                  -Forthcoming dinner
            -Programs
                  -Agriculture
                        -Agency for International Development [AID]
                             -John A. Hannah
                        -Turkish climate
                             -Compared to California
                        -US success
      -US congress
            -Isolationism
            -Decrease in military assistance budget
                  -Decrease in assistance to Turkey
                        -NATO
                                  13

                NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                           Tape Subject Log
                             (rev. 10/06)

                                                            Conv. No. 690-8 (cont.)
                     -Effect
                          -Radical forces
      -World Bank
      -Export-import Bank
            -Henry Kearns
                   -Connally
      -Turkish foreign minister
            -William P. Rogers
-The PRC trip
-The President’s forthcoming Soviet trip
-Free world
      -Desire for peace
-US relations with the Soviet Union
      -Turkish interests
-Soviet Union and the PRC
      -Support of revolutionary forces
            -Communique
                   -Renunciation of force
            -Leonid I. Brezhnev
                   -New York Times
      -US-Turkey alliance
      -Internal subversion
            -Turkey
            -France
            -West Germany
            -Britain
            -Italy
-Détente
      -US-Soviet and US-PRC relations
      -Non-communist nations
            -Organization in attempt to defense against Communism
            -Support for NATO
            -Efforts to stop subversives
      -The President's meetings with the Soviets and Chinese
      -Arms control agreement
      -Agreements
      -Communist goals
            -Khrushchev
      -Negotiations
      -Economics
      -Communist philosophy
-Soviets
                                  14

                NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                           Tape Subject Log
                             (rev. 10/06)

                                                      Conv. No. 690-8 (cont.)
     -Allies
           -Polish
           -Romanians
           -Czechs
     -PRC
           -Nuclear power
           -Brezhnev
                 -Relations with the Soviet Union
                 -Relations with the US
                       -Seeking better relations
-Relations with the US
     -Understanding among nations of the free world
     -Friendships
           -Philosophies
     -Cooperation with other nations
           -Soviets
           -Chinese
           -Self-interest
           -Romanians
     -Philosophy of the non-communist world
           -Europe
           -Asia
           -Nations around the rim of the PRC
           -Japan
           -Parliamentary democracies
           -Oligarchies
-US relations with the PRC
-US relations with the Soviet Union
-US relations with other nations
     -Pledge not to desert friends
           -Erim's visit to the US
-PRC
     -The President's trip
           -Erim’s view
     -Population
     -Soviet Ambassador to Turkey
-The need for Turkey to remain non-Communist
     -Arab countries
           -Oil fields
     -"Fire wall"
     -Turkey’s Western orientation
           -Soviet union
                                   15

                NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                            Tape Subject Log
                              (rev. 10/06)

                                                         Conv. No. 690-8 (cont.)
     -Military defense
     -Social defense
     -Economic defense
     -Erim
           -Support from the military
                 -NATO
     -Communist propaganda
           -Effect
           -NATO
           -US
           -West Germany
           -France
     -Defense
           -NATO
-Soviet Union
     -Nuclear arms
     -Strategic Arms Limitation Talks [SALT]
     -Subversion activity
           -Human rights
           -West Germany
           -France
           -Turkey
           -West Germany
     -Military
           -Bulgaria
                 -Tanks
                       -Compared to Turkish tanks
                             -Refueling time
                             -Need for more US support
           -Iraq
           -Syria
-Tanks
     -Turkish needs
     -Report to the president
           -Instructions to Haig
           -Comparison of US and Soviet tanks
                 -Vietnam
                 -M-60
-Relations with the US
     -Defense of turkey
           -Communist propaganda
     -Military equipment
                                             16

                        NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                   Tape Subject Log
                                     (rev. 10/06)

                                                             Conv. No. 690-8 (cont.)
                   -F-84 aircraft
                   -Phantoms
                   -France
                        -Possible Turkish purchases
                              -Mysteres
                              -Mirages
                   -Communist propaganda
                   -US military equipment
                        -Report to the President

    Cyprus
        -London-Zurich Agreement of 1959
             -Greece
             -Turkey
             -Great Britain
        -Greek government
             -George Papadopoulos
                  -Greek-Turkish relations
                        -NATO
                            Aegean Sea


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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[National Security]
[Duration: 8s ]


    CYPRUS


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1

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         -Turkish view
              -London-Zurich Agreements of 1959
                    -Mixed rule
                         -Representation in government
              -Michael Mouskos [Archbishop Makarios III]
                                          17

                      NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                 Tape Subject Log
                                   (rev. 10/06)

                                                                 Conv. No. 690-8 (cont.)
                -Erim’s view
                -William P. Rogers’s previous visit to Turkey
                -Soviet Union
                      -Czechoslovakian arms
                            -Comparison to Egypt
                                  -Anwar el-Sadat
                -Resignation of Makarios
                      -Papadopoulos
                -Relations with the US and Britain
                      -Holy Synod of the Cyprost Orthodox Church
                -Possible compromise
                      -1960 Cypriot Constitution
                -US relations with Makarios
                -Possible rejection of 1959 agreement
                -Vice President Spiro T. Agnew’s previous trip to Turkey
                      -Agnew’s help with Greece
     -Relations with the US
          -Makarios
                -The President’s view
          -Soviet Union
                -Marxism in Cyprus
                      -Recent election

Soviets
     -Naval presence in the Dardanelles
          -Mediterranean fleet
                -Cairo
          -US Sixth Fleet
                -Purpose
     -Middle east
          -Egyptians
          -Israel
          -Mediterranean
                -Turkey
                -Africa
                -US policy

Turkey’s relations with neighboring countries
     -Need for strong Turkish defense
           -Communiqué
                 -Independence of Turkey
                 -Erim’s visit to the US
                                              18

                           NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. 10/06)

                                                                       Conv. No. 690-8 (cont.)
          -Dardanelles
               -Harry S. Truman Doctrine
                     -The President’s vote as a member of Congress
                     -Dean G. Acheson
                           -Meeting with Erim, 1964
                     -Lyndon B. Johnson
          -Erim’s role in drafting 1960 Cypriot Constitution
          -Pakistan
               -Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s previous trip to Turkey
               -Central Treaty Organization [CENTO]
                     -US
                     -The President’s previous meeting with the new Secretary General [Nassir
                           Assar]
                     -Symbolic rather than military value
                           -Pakistan
                           -Iran
                           -Turkey
          -Bangladesh
               -Turkish recognition
               -US recognition
                     -India

Stephen B. Bull entered and left at an unknown time before 12:36 pm.

     Erim’s schedule
          -Automobile

     Turkey’s relations with neighboring countries
                -Bhutto’s meeting with Erim
                      -Mujibar Rahman
                      -Possible intermediary role for Erim
                      -Pakistan’s recognition of Bangladesh
                -Large Muslim population
                -India
                      -Pakistan
                           -The President’s view

     Turkey
          -Relations with the Soviet Union
               -Erim’s forthcoming visit with Nikolai V. Podgorny
               -Non-aggression treaties
               -NATO
                                        19

                      NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                 Tape Subject Log
                                   (rev. 10/06)

                                                                  Conv. No. 690-8 (cont.)
                 -Turkey’s obligations to other members
                       -France
           -Consultation agreement
                 -Afghanistan
                 -Iran
                 -France
                 -Other NATO members
           -Forthcoming US-Soviet meeting
                 -NATO forces
                       -Andrei A. Gromyko
                       -Anatoliy F. Dobrynin
     -Forthcoming State dinner
           -Erim and the president
                 -Further talks
                 -Mrs. Nixon and Mrs. Erim
     -Erim's talks with the President
           -US support for Turkey
     -Iran
     -Syria
     -Iraq
     -Bulgaria
     -Relations with the US
           -Turkey’s role in world affairs
     -Government
           -Parliamentary
           -Dictatorship
     -The President’s instructions to Haig
           -McNamara and Connally
                 -Meetings with Erim
                       -Paul A. Volcker
                 -Hannah
                       -AID
                 -Military matters
           -Communiqué
                 -Turkish wishes

The President's schedule
     -Drug bill [Special Action Office for Drug Addiction Prevention] signing
          -Rehabilitation program for drug addicts

Turkey
     -Drugs
                                                20

                              NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                          Tape Subject Log
                                            (rev. 10/06)

                                                                    Conv. No. 690-8 (cont.)
                 -Opium
                      -Smugglers
                          -Iran

The President, et al. left at 12:36 pm.