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Conversation: 825-004

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Start Date: 16-Dec-1972 9:37 AM

End Date: 16-Dec-1972 9:50 AM

Participants:

Nixon, Richard M. (President)Haig, Alexander M., Jr.Bull, Stephen B.

Recording Device: Oval Office

825-004.mp3

NARA Description:

On December 16, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, Alexander M. Haig, Jr., and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 9:37 am to 9:50 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 825-004 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid:

Conversation No. 825-4

Date: December 16, 1972
Time: 9:37 am - 9:50 am
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Alexander M. Haig, Jr.

       Vietnam negotiations
            -Kissinger’s meeting with Anatoliy F. Dobrynin
                  -Status of talks
                  -Threat
                  -Soviet Union concern
                        -Breakdown in talks
                               -Delay
            -Vice President Spiro T. Agnew
                  -Meeting with the President
                        -Timing
                               -Kissinger’s briefing
                  -Conversation with Kissinger
                  -Briefing by Kissinger
                  -Conversation with Kissinger
                        -Kissinger’s briefing
                               -Nguyen Van Thieu
                  -Possible trip to Saigon with Haig
                  -Stalemate
                        -Cut off of US funds
                               -“Dove” line
                  -Meeting with the President
                  -Relations with the US
                  -Agnew
                        -Barry M. Goldwater’s view
                               -Letter to Haig
                                     -Charles H. Percy

Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 9:37 am.

       The President’s memorandum to Kissinger
                                               -4-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. June-08)

                                                               Conversation No. 825-4 (cont’d)

Bull left at an unknown time before 9:50 am.

       Vietnam negotiations
            -Congressional relations
                 -Thieu
                        -Goldwater’s view
                              -Settlement agreement
                              -Percy
                                     -Cut off of US funds
            -Thieu
                 -Agnew
                 -Conversation with Haig, Kissinger
                 -Possible trip to Saigon
                 -Kissinger’s briefing
                        -North Vietnam

Bull entered and left at an unknown time before 9:50 am.

       Vietnam negotiations
            -Kissinger’s briefing
                  -The President’s memorandum to Kissinger, December 15, 1972
                  -Tone
                        -Richard M. Helm’s conversation with Kissinger
                        -The President’s memorandum, December 16, 1972
                               -Copy for Kissinger
                               -The President’s possible role
                               -Pace of talks
                                      -Enemy buildup
                               -October 8, 1972
                               -Kissinger’s “peace is at hand” statement, October 26, 1972
                               -Technical details
                               -Settlement agreement
                                      -Long war, short peace
                               -Exchange of messages
                               -Resumption of war
                               -Duration of talks
                                      -Casualties
                                           -US, North and South Vietnam
                               -North Vietnam’s delays
                                -5-

      NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                         Tape Subject Log
                           (rev. June-08)

                                                 Conversation No. 825-4 (cont’d)

                 -Settlement agreement
                        -Timing
                              -Prisoners of War [POWs]
                              -Casualties
                                    -US, South and North Vietnam
                              -Enemy buildup
                              -Delays
                                    -North and South Vietnam
                              -Cease-fire
                              -South Vietnam’s self-determination
                                    -Battlefield to ballot box
                                          -The President’s memorandum,
                                           December 15, 1972
                              -Prolonging war and talks
                              -Resumption of talks
                 -US military action
                        -Air and sea
                              -Enemy buildup
                              -Haig’s view
                                    -Helms’s view
-Thieu
      -Haig’s trip to South Vietnam
            -Announcement
      -Agnew
            -Intentions
            -Meeting with the President
                   -Compared to the President’s meeting with William P. Rogers
                        -The President’s May 8, 1972 decision
-Kissinger’s briefing
      -The President’s schedule
      -Meeting with Kissinger
      -Tone
            -The President’s memorandum, December 15, 1972
            -Kissinger’s demeanor
                   -The President’s conversation with Kissinger, December 14,
                    1972
                   -Breakdown in talks
                   -The President’s memorandum, December 15, 1972
-Kissinger’s view
                                             -6-

                    NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                     Tape Subject Log
                                       (rev. June-08)

                                                            Conversation No. 825-4 (cont’d)

             -Haig’s view
             -US bombing, mining north of 20th Parallel
                  -Public relations [PR]
                        -Kissinger’s view
                               -Demonstrations
                                     -White House
                        -Haig’s view
                               -Breakdown in talks
                                     -Press relations
                                           -North Vietnam
                                                  -B-52s
                               -Eastern Establishment

       The President’s schedule
            -Meeting with Agnew
                  -Duration
            -Kissinger’s schedule
                  -Dobrynin
                         -Note from Haig
                  -Meeting with the President

Haig left at 9:50 am.