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Conversation: 756-021

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Start Date: 28-Jul-1972 2:09 PM

End Date: 28-Jul-1972 2:42 PM

Participants:

Nixon, Richard M. (President)Baring, George R. S.Trend, Burke (Sir)Kissinger, Henry A.White House photographerSanchez, ManoloBull, Stephen B.

Recording Device: Oval Office

756-021.mp3

NARA Description:

On July 28, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, George R. S. Baring, Sir Burke Trend, Henry A. Kissinger, White House photographer, Manolo Sanchez, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 2:09 pm to 2:42 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 756-021 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid:

Conversation No. 756-21
Date: July 28, 1972
Time: 2:09 pm - 2:42 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with George R.S. Baring [Earl of Cromer], Sir Burke Trend, and Henry A.
Kissinger. The White House photographer was present at the beginning of the conversation.

     Greetings

     Seating arrangements

     [Photograph session]
          -Anatoliy F. Dobrynin
          -Wire services
          -Instructions

     Ronald W. Reagan
         -Conversation with the President about European trip
               -Talks with Edward R.G. Heath or Sir Alexander F. (“Alec”) Douglas-Home
                    -Reagan’s briefing by Kissinger
               -European Security Conference
                    -British position
                         -Bilateral deal

     European Security Conference
         -Propaganda line
         -Danger
         -Soviet Union

     Reagan
         -Conversation with the President
              -British views about nuclear weapons
                    -US cooperation with France and West Germany

     Ireland
                                          38

                    NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                  Tape Subject Log
                                    (rev. Mar-02)


         -1972 campaign
              -George S. McGovern’s possible statements
              -The President’s policy
                   -Instructions for bureaucracy
              -Edward M. Kennedy
              -The President’s policy
                   -Heath, John M. (“Jack”) Lynch
              -1972 campaign
                   -McGovern’s possible statement
                        -The President’s response

    European Security Conference
        -Propaganda line
              -France, West Germany
        -US-Soviet meeting
              -Possible effect
                   -[North Atlantic Treaty Organization] [NATO]
                        -Newsweek article
                               -Statement of principles

    The President’s schedule
         -Douglas-Home
              -Dinner

    Reagan
        -Conversation with the President
             -Possible misunderstanding
                  -Europeans’ views on nuclear weapons
                       -Britain
                              -West Germany, France
                                    -Participation
                       -Planning
                       -Memorandum


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

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[National security]
[Duration: 1m 21s   ]

NUCLEAR WEAPONS

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
                                      39

                  NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                               Tape Subject Log
                                 (rev. Mar-02)




The President’s schedule
     -Michel Debre
          -California
          -Meeting with Melvin R. Laird

France
     -Elections

European Security Conference

Mutual and Balanced Force Reductions [MBFR]

Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty [SALT]
     -Phase II
           -Forward bases
           -Nuclear planning
           -France

European Security Conference
    -Story by Flora Lewis
           -NATO
                -Statement of principles
                     -Compared to those signed by France, West Germany
    -Planning
           -Kissinger’s forthcoming conversations with Trend
    -[James] Harold Wilson
    -Michael Stewart
    -Italy
    -Possible effects
           -Détente
           -NATO
           -Europe
                -Finlandization
    -Measuring progress

MBFR
   -US policy
        -NATO
              -Security approach
                  -Compared to diplomatic approach
                                        40

                NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                Tape Subject Log
                                  (rev. Mar-02)


           -National Security Council [NSC] meeting

European Security Conference
    -Preparatory discussions
          -British concerns
          -Nations involved
                -Number
          -British cabinet system
                -Compared to US cabinet
          -US-British consultations
                -Private channel
                     -[State Department] and British Foreign Ministry
                     -William P. Rogers
                     -Douglas-Home
                     -West Germany, France, Italy

International monetary situation
     -1972 election
     -George P. Shultz’s role
     -Arthur F. Burns
     -Shultz
            -Expertise
                 -Compared to John B. Connally
                 -Laissez-faire
                 -University of Chicago
                      -Milton Friedman
                 -Compared to Burns
                      -Convertability
     -US responsibility
     -Shultz
            -Cromer’s view
                 -Jakarta
            -Convertability
     -Smithsonian Agreement
     -1972 election
     -United Nations [UN] Security Council
     -French views
            -Gold
            -Effect on Britain
            -NATO
     -Politics
            -Kissinger
     -France
            -Kissinger’s relationship with Georges J.R. Pompidou
                                               41

                      NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. Mar-02)



Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 2:09 pm.

     The President’s schedule
          -Car

Bull left at an unknown time before 2:42 pm.

     1972 election
         -Effect on NATO
         -[McGovern]
                -W[illiam] Averell Harriman’s views
                -Greece
         -National defense
                -Unilateral troop cutbacks in Europe
                -Budget cuts
                -US public opinion
         -Press report from Tokyo
                -Vietnam
                     -H.R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
                     -Possible effect of McGovern’s statements
         -Effect
                -North Vietnam
                     -Prisoners of war [POW]
                -The President’s policy
                     -National defense, European policy, isolationism
                     -Press relations

     US-Soviet military balance
         -End of the Dwight D. Eisenhower administration
               -Missiles, throw weight
               -Compared to 1972
                     -NATO
         -Vietnam
         -Europe
               -Effect of US withdrawal
                     -Soviet incursion
         -1972 election campaign

     The President’s schedule
          -Heath
          -Lord Chief Justice
               -Warren E. Burger
               -Schedule
                                                42

                      NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. Mar-02)


                      -California
                      -Burger
                      -Wife

     [General conversation]

     International diplomatic relations
          -Soviet Union, People’s Republic of China [PRC], SALT
          -International monetary situation

Cromer, Trend, and Kissinger left at 2:42 pm.