Conversation: 846-004
Prev: 846-003 Next: 846-005Start Date: 1-Feb-1973 10:35 AM
End Date: 1-Feb-1973 12:12 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Heath, Edward R. G.; Ziegler, Ronald L.; Kissinger, Henry A.; Trend, Burke (Sir); Bull, Stephen B.; [Unknown person(s)];Recording Device: Oval Office
NARA Description:
On February 1, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, Edward R. G. Heath, Ronald L. Ziegler, Henry A. Kissinger, Sir Burke Trend, Stephen B. Bull, and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House from 10:35 am to 12:12 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 846-004 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 846-4
Date: February 1, 1973
Time: 10:35 am - 12:35 pm
Location: Oval Office
The President met with Edward R. G. Heath.
Great Britain-Ireland relations
-President’s conversation with John M. (“Jack”) Lynch
-John F. Kennedy
Ronald L. Ziegler entered at an unknown time after 10:35 am.
Schedule
-Photograph sessions
Ziegler left at an unknown time before 10:40 am.
Great Britain-Ireland relations
-Lynch
Ziegler entered at an unknown time after 10:35 am.
Reporters
- 8 -
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Aug.-09)
Conversation No. 846-4 (cont’d)
Reports entered at an unknown time after 10:35 am.
[Photograph session]
-[General discussion]
Heath’s schedule
-New York
Reporters and Ziegler left at an unknown time before 10:40 am.
Henry A. Kissinger and Sir Burke Trend entered at 10:40 am.
Heath’s schedule
-Senate Foreign Relations Committee
-Executive Committee of Republican Governors
-Meeting with Edward M. (“Ted”) Kennedy
-Northern Ireland
-Duration
-Publicity
-Great Britain-Ireland relations
-US position
-Good will
-Press Club
-Senate Foreign Relations Committee
Vietnam settlement
-Bombing
-Politics
-Allies
-Eisaku Sato
-Meeting with President
-Kakuei Tanaka
-Lyndon B. Johnson
-John Kennedy
-Peace
-Public opinion
-Great Britain
- 9 -
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Aug.-09)
Conversation No. 846-4 (cont’d)
-Canada
-Australia
-US as ally
-Vietnam
-Japan
-Europe
-Vietnam as ally
-President’s trips to the People’s Republic of China [PRC] and Soviet Union
-Moscow summit
-May 8, 1972 decision
-Mining
-Bombing
-Hue
-Possible Soviet involvement in Vietnam
-Hue
-Saigon
-Leonid I. Brezhnev
-Criticism of Heath
-President’s appreciation
-US reputation
-Le Duc Tho
Agenda
-Vietnam
-Commonwealth
Vietnam Settlement
-Peace agreement
-Protocols
-Kissinger’s press briefing
-Issues
-Demarcation line
-Demilitarized zone [DMZ]
-Sovereignty
-South Vietnam
-Nguyen Van Thieu
- 10 -
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Aug.-09)
Conversation No. 846-4 (cont’d)
-North Vietnam
-Cease-fire agreements
-Laos
-Cambodia
-Timing
-North Vietnam’s preferences
-South Vietnam
-DMZ
-Laos
-Ho Chi Minh trail
-Cambodia
-Sanctuaries
-Laos
-Timing
-Negotiations
-Souvanna Phouma
-Troop withdrawals from Cambodia, Laos
-DMZ
-Supervisory teams
-Enforcement
-North Vietnam
-Kissinger’s trip to Hanoi
-US Congress
-President’s recollections of Congress
-Harry S. Truman
-Marshall Plan
-Japan
-Congressional support
-Economic aid for North Vietnam
-Difficulty
-Scope
-Liberals
-Joint Economic Commission
-THO
-US forces
-Bombing
- 11 -
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Aug.-09)
Conversation No. 846-4 (cont’d)
-“Mad man” theory
-Liberal critics
-Economic aid
-Role of the Soviet Union and People’s Republic of China [PRC]
-December 1972 bombings
-Reactions
-Compared to Australia’s & Canada’s leaders
-Support for North Vietnam
-Restraint
-Utility of PRC role
-Paris negotiations
-North Vietnamese intransigence
-Chou Erilai
-US Senate “doves”
-Withdrawal resolution
-Soviet Union’s role
-POWs
-Arms supply talks
-US public opinion
-Sino-Soviet split
-Utility for US interests
US-PRC relations
-Kissinger’s schedule
-Kissinger’s trip to Hanoi & PRC
-Cambodia
-Key Briscayne
-Effect on Soviet Union
******************************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[National Security]
[Duration: 12s]
- 12 -
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Aug.-09)
Conversation No. 846-4 (cont’d)
PRC, LAOS
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
******************************************************************************
-Cambodia
-Hanoi
-Norodom Sihanouk
-1954 Geneva Accords
-Lon Nol
-Press conference
******************************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
[National Security]
[Duration: 5s]
PRC, CAMBODIA
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
******************************************************************************
-PRC’s perceptions of Indochina
-Balkanization
-Respect
-South Vietnam
-North Vietnam
-Sinanouk
-Negotiations
-Withdrawal of forces from Laos
******************************************************************************
- 13 -
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Aug.-09)
Conversation No. 846-4 (cont’d)
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
[National Security]
[Duration: 7s]
MILITARY FORCES
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
******************************************************************************
-Road construction
-Thailand
-Dien Bien Phu
-Compared to Soviet Union’s perceptions
-Unification
-Japan’s relations with Indochina
-President’s meeting with Sato
-Japan-Vietnam relations
-Hostility
-Asian Development Bank
-Economic and political influence
-PRC
Vietnam settlement
-International Conference
-Expectations
-International Commission of Control and Supervisors [ICCS]
-United Nations [UN] Secretary General
-Introduction of Armaments
-Cambodia, Laos settlements
-Economic reconstruction
-Acceptance
-UN Secretariat
-Soviet Union
-PRC
- 14 -
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Aug.-09)
Conversation No. 846-4 (cont’d)
-Compared to 1962 agreement
-Co-Chair
-Compared to UN
-Possible North Vietnamese action
-Survival of South Vietnam
-Infiltration
-Double track approach
-Negotiations
-North Vietnam’s military and political objectives
-National Council of Concord & Reconciliation [NCCR]
-Laos, Cambodia, DMZ
-Economic aid to North Vietnam
-Weakness of North Vietnam
-Past negotiations
-Bombing
-Quang Tri
-Kissinger’s offer
-Cease-fire
-Resignation of Nguyen Van Thieu
-Tho
-Mining of Haiphong
-Political settlement
-October 1972 offer
-NCCR
-December 1972 bombing
-US demands
-North Vietnam’s response
-Congress
-Cessation of bombing
-Difficulty
-Vietnam compared to Japan
-Thieu
-Letters from the President
-Confidence
-Alexander M. Haig, Jr.’s trip to South Vietnam
-December 1972 negotiations
- 15 -
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Aug.-09)
Conversation No. 846-4 (cont’d)
-Melvin R. Laird
-Haig’s trips to South Vietnam
-Bombing
-Final military operations
-Thieu
-Commanders
-Romans
-Saigon
-Political disintegration
-President’s offer of meeting with Thieu
******************************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4
[National Security]
[Duration: 5s]
SOUTH VIETNAM
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4
******************************************************************************
-Political opponents
-Tran Van Do
1:33:10 -France’s economic interests in Indochina
******************************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5
[National Security]
[Duration: 23s]
LEE KUAN YEW
- 16 -
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Aug.-09)
Conversation No. 846-4 (cont’d)
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5
******************************************************************************
-Great Britain
-Economic aid
-Commitments in Bangladesh
-Military situation
-Cease-fire
-Need for peace
-Mine field clearance
-Resupply
-Future offenses
-Economic aid
-US-Australia & US-New Zealand relations
-“Five Power Force”
-Peter Carrington
-New Zealand
-Edward Whitlam
-Australia
-Australian forces
-“Fortress Australia”
-Spread of Communism
-Indonesia
-Southeast Asia
-US presence
-Whitlam’s foreign policy
-Isolationism
-Pacifism
-Australia’s position in the Commonwealth
Indian subcontinent
-US-India relations
-Pakistan
-US role
-Bangladesh
- 17 -
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Aug.-09)
Conversation No. 846-4 (cont’d)
-Economy
-India
-Bermuda Conference
-President’s conversation with Sir Alexander F. (“Alec”) Douglas-
Home
-Importance of US leadership
-PRC
-State Department
-India’s prominence
-US neutrality
-PRC
-Military equipment
-1969 contract
-Embargo
-Indira Gandhi
-Correspondence with President
-PRC-India relations
-Daniel P. (“Pat”) Moynihan’s appointment
-Ambassador to India
-India
-Zulfikar Ali Butto
-Bangladesh
-Recognition of state
-Prisoners of war [POWs]
-Sheik Mujibur Rahman
-Meeting with Butto
-Bangladesh
-Current situation
-Civil administration
-Future
-Disintegration
-Radicals
-West Bengal
-Compared to Vietnamese
-History
-Partitioning
- 18 -
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Aug.-09)
Conversation No. 846-4 (cont’d)
-End of colonialism
-Great Britain’s legacy
-Common law
-Common language
-Civil service
-Self-government
Post-colonial relationships
-Commonwealth
-France
-UN
-Independence of colonies
-Capabilities
-Africa
-Kenya
-Uganda
-Economic strife
-Expulsions
-Indira Gandhi
-Pierre E. Trudeau
-Holders of British passports
-Idi Amin Dada Oumec
-Jomo Kenyatta
-Julius K. Nyerere
-25,000 expellees
-Relocation to Great Britain
-Public opinion
-Magnitude
-East Africa
-Kenyatta
-Nyerere
-Indira Gandhi
-Future expellees to India
-Immigration to Great Britain and Commonwealth
-British citizenship and passport holders
-Hong Kong
- 19 -
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Aug.-09)
Conversation No. 846-4 (cont’d)
-Malaysia
-Singapore
-Australia
-Canada
******************************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 6
[National Security]
[Duration: 4m 8s]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 6
******************************************************************************
-Uganda
-Amin
-Education
-Intelligence
-Corporal
-Fulgericio Batista y Zaldivar
-Adolph Hitler
-Boxer
-Bombing of North Vietnam
-Commonwealth Conference
-Trudeau
-Election
-Conservative Party
-Amin’s published message
US-Soviet Union relations
-Optimism
-Fragility
-Mutability
-Soviet Union-PRC relations
-Economic needs
- 20 -
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Aug.-09)
Conversation No. 846-4 (cont’d)
-Europe
-European Security Conference
-US skepticism
-US leadership
-Great Britain
-Brezhnev
-Kissinger’s meetings with Dobrynin
Bull left at an unknown time after 10:40 am.
President’s schedule
-Press club
-Heath
Bull left at an unknown time before 12:15 pm.
Europe
-Press conference
-Year of Europe
-Soviet Union
-Meeting with Heath
-Importance
-SALT
-European security conference
US-Soviet Union relations
-Europe
-Edward Kennedy
-Press relations
-1972 election
-Soviet Union’s & PRC’s motives
-President’s skepticism
-Liberal intellectuals
-Self-interest
-Dobrynih
-Capability
- 21 -
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Aug.-09)
Conversation No. 846-4 (cont’d)
-Subordination
-Brezhnev
-Leadership position
-Ambitions
-World peace
-Franklin D. Roosevelt, Josef V. Stalin, Winston S. Churchill
-“Spirit of Yalta”
-Soviet Union-PRC relations
-Administration’s handling of Soviet Union
-Cuba
-Jordan
-Middle East
-Vietnam settlement
-Brezhnev
-Personality
-Politburo
-Concessions
-Berlin
-PRC
-Translations
-Compared to Soviet Union
-Dolorynon
-Brezhnev
-Missiles
-Drawings
-Possible meeting
-Timing
-Europe
-PRC
-Military support from US
-Japan
-Possible nuclear treaty
-PRC
An unknown man entered at an unknown time after 10:40 am.
- 22 -
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Aug.-09)
Conversation No. 846-4 (cont’d)
Heath’s schedule
-Press club
The unknown man left at an unknown time before 12:15 pm.
Sir Burke Trend
-Departure from position
-Oxford University graduate
-Background
-Unknown man
Schedule [?]
The President, Heath, Trend, and Kissinger left at 12:15 pm.