Conversation No. 803-18

Date: October 18, 1972
Time: 2:40 pm - 3:16 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Nikolai S. Patolichev, Anatoliy F. Dobrynin, William P. Rogers, Peter G.
Peterson, Peter M. Flanigan, and Helmut (“Hal”) Sonnenfeldt. The White House photographer
and members of the press were present at the beginning of the meeting.

        Seating arrangements

        Greetings from and to Leonid I. Brezhnev

        [Photographic session]

        US-Soviet Union trade agreement
           -Signing of documents
                                     33
             NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                             Tape Subject Log
                               (rev. Nov-03)

        -Moscow
    -US-Soviet Union trade agreement
    -Negotiations
        -Brezhnev
             -The President's meeting in Moscow, May 1972
    -US-Soviet Union relations
        -Economic field
        -Political field
        -Other negotiations
             -Technical matters
    -Productivity
    -The President's conversation with Brezhnev
    -Future relations
        -Economic cooperation
             -Gas deal
    -Signing of directive by the President
        -Congress
        -Export-Import [Ex-Im] Bank
    -Patolichev’s meeting with an unknown person
    -Lawyers
        -The President’s experience
        -Partisanship
             -Clark M. Clifford
    -Message for Brezhnev
        -The President’s efforts
        -Future developments in the economic field
             -Political outlook
    -Brezhnev
        -Leadership style
             -Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty [SALT] agreement
                  -Missiles
    -Gratitude to Patolichev and Peterson
    -The President's schedule
        -US Congress
             -Congressional Adjournment
                  -Telephone call [from Thomas P. (“Tip”) O'Neill, Jr. and Gerald R.
                   Ford]
    -Most Favored Nation [MFN] provision
        -Congress

Presentation
    -Presidential seal
                                              34
                      NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. Nov-03)


        Schedule
            -Sonnenfeldt
            -Soviet officials

Patolichev, Dobrynin, and Flanigan left At 3:08 pm.

        Meeting with Soviet Union officials
           -US-Soviet Union relations
                -Economic relations
                    MFN status
                -May 1972 meeting in Washington prior to Moscow Summit
                -May 1972 Brezhnev meeting
                -SALT II announcement
                -Ex-Im Bank directive
                -Lend-lease agreement
                -Economic relations
                    -Public understanding
                        -Business community
                        -Wheat deal
                             -North Dakota, South Dakota
                        -MFN status
                             -Europe
                             -Japan
                             -People’s Republic of China [PRC]
                             -Latin America
                -Maritime agreement
                -Lend-lease agreement
                    -The President's October 17, 1972 conversation with John B. Connally


        The President's schedule
            -Congressional adjournment

Peterson and Sonnenfeldt left at 3:14 pm.

        Vietnam War
            -Possible settlement
                -Military situation in South Vietnam
                     -Nguyen Van Thieu
                     -Saigon
                     -Instructions from the President to Melvin R. Laird
                                               35
                      NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. Nov-03)

                           -Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
                      -Coalition government
                      -Prisoners of war [POWs]
                      -Cease-fire
                           -International
                      -Political future of Vietnam
                      -Meeting with Thieu
                           -Gen. Creighton W. Abrams, Jr.
                                -Conversation with the President, Laird, Haig
                                -Ellsworth Bunker's role
                                -Relations with the President

Rogers left at 3:16 pm.