Conversation: 855-012
Prev: 855-011 Next: 855-013Start Date: 14-Feb-1973 11:16 AM
End Date: 14-Feb-1973 11:52 AM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Scowcroft, Brent G. (Gen.); Helms, Richard M.; Ziegler, Ronald L.; Bull, Stephen B.;Recording Device: Oval Office
NARA Description:
On February 14, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, Gen. Brent G. Scowcroft, Richard M. Helms, Ronald L. Ziegler, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:16 am to 11:52 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 855-012 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 855-12
Date: February 14, 1973
Time: 11:16 am -11:52 am
Location: Oval Office
The President met with Gen. Brent G. Scowcroft, Richard M. Helms, Ronald L. Ziegler; the
White House photographer and members of the press were present at the beginning of the
meeting.
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. August-10)
Conversation No. 855-12 (cont’d)
Greetings
-Greek Chorus
Photograph session
Ziegler left at an unknown time after 11:16 am.
Seating
[Photograph session]
Iran
-Caviar
-Quality
-Compared to Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR]
-Ambassador’s gift
Helms
-Departure for Iran
-William P. Rogers
-Shah of Iran [Mohammed Reza Pahlavi]’s schedule
-Iranian New Year
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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[PRIVACY]
[DURATION: 10s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
**********************************************************************
-Trip
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. August-10)
Conversation No. 855-12 (cont’d)
-Joseph Simpson Farland
-Overlap of ambassadors
-Preparations for trip and post
-Conversations with John B. Connally
-President’s letter
-First draft of paper
-Persian Gulf states
Middle East
-Talk with Great Britain’s diplomatic counterparts
-President’s conversation with Edward R. G. Heath
-Problem
-Great Britain’s security and trade interest in Persian Gulf region
-US interests
-US companies
-Oil from Saudi Arabia
-Great Britain, France, Netherlands
-Strategy
-Helms’s view
-Cooperation
-Great Britain
-Security problem in Persian Gulf
-Non-cooperation on other issues
-Connally
-Oil companies
-Helms’s viewpoint
-President’s advice
-Helms’s role
-Central Intelligence Agency [CIA] background
-Governments’ stability
-Energy problem
-US interests
-Dealing with area countries, USSR
-Pipeline
-USSR, US companies
-Consultations
-Iran
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. August-10)
Conversation No. 855-12 (cont’d)
-Foreign companies
-Great Britain, Netherlands
-US companies
-Connally
US-Mexico relations
-Luis Echeverria Alvarez
-Actions
-Graciousness during US visit
-Nelson A. Rockefeller’s viewpoint
-Welcoming Salvador Allende Gossens
-Criticism of US
-Motives
-Cheapshot
-Deep beliefs
-Helms’s view
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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
[National security]
[Duration: 5s]
US-MEXICO RELATIONS
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
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US-Mexico relations
-Echeverria’s previous US visit
-Statements
-Domestic political reasons
-Latin America
-Difficulties
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. August-10)
Conversation No. 855-12 (cont’d)
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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4
[National security]
[Duration: 3s]
US-MEXICO RELATIONS
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4
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-Ties with US
-Echeverria’s actions
-Panama meeting
-United Nations [UN] Security Council
-Helms’s statement for President
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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5
[National security]
[Duration: 21s]
US-MEXICO RELATIONS
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5
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US-Mexico relations
-US concern about leaders
-Leftism
-Advisors to Echeverria
-John D. Ehrlichman
-Echeverria
-US business people
-Concern
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. August-10)
Conversation No. 855-12 (cont’d)
-Connally
-Foreign governments’ criticism of US
Domestic reasons
-Yucatan meeting
-Vietnam
-US opportunity
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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 6
[National security]
[Duration: 1s]
US-MEXICO RELATIONS
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 6
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-US reaction to public statements
-Dangers of overreaction
-Private meetings
US-Indonesia relations
-Lt. Gen. T. N. J. Suharto
-Conversation with Spiro T. Agnew
-Supporter of US
-Request for military aid
-Adam Malik
-Agnew’s conversation with Suharto
-US Congress, public opinion
-Opposition to assistance
-Equal treatment
-Private discussion
-Suharto’s survival
-US support
-24-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. August-10)
Conversation No. 855-12 (cont’d)
US-Philippine relations
-Ferdinand E. Marcos
-Criticism of US
-Elections
-US aid
Criticism of US
-Pierre E. Trudeau
-Philippines
-Allies
-Japan
-Europe
-Great Britain
-Dependence on US
-US arrogance
-Respect for US
-World leaders
-Need for balance
-US pressure
-William P. Rogers
-India
-Indira Gandhi
-Henry A. Kissinger
-Suharto, Echevarria, Trudeau
-US handing
-Reactions
-Public opinion
-Congress
-Trend toward isolationism
-Helms’s role
-CIA background
-Public position
-Echevarria
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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 7
-25-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. August-10)
Conversation No. 855-12 (cont’d)
[National security]
[Duration: 14s]
US-MEXICO RELATIONS
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO.7
*************************************************************************
-US protest
-Responsiveness
US-Mexico relations
-Echevarria
-Susceptibility to Communism
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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 9
[National security]
[Duration: 22s]
MALIK
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 9
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Criticism
-Malik
-Agnew’s report
-Statements
-Thailand
-Thanom Kittikachorn
-Support for US
-US withdrawal
-Anti-US statements
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. August-10)
Conversation No. 855-12 (cont’d)
-Congressional reaction
-Isolationism
-Spending on ghettos
-Japan
-Kakuei Tanaka’s statements
-Eisaku Sato
-Suharto
-Communist threat
-US in Vietnam
-Thailand
-Singapore
-Lee Kuan Yew
-Agnew
Scowcroft left at 11:38 am.
Middle East
-Helms’s notes
-Split in US government
-Tactics, policy, strategy
-State Department
-Pro-Arab
-Public negotiations
_Israel
-Rogers
-US Jew’s criticism
-Rogers’s plan
-Criticism
-Concessions to Israel
-Unfairness of criticism
-“Pro-settlement”
-Joseph J. Sisco
-Kissinger
-Jewish background
-Pressures
-US Jews
-Israel
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. August-10)
Conversation No. 855-12 (cont’d)
-Compensation
-Leanings
-Israel
-Settlement
-Timing of US elections
-Israel’s elections
-Non-public tactics
-Conflicts with Rogers, State Department
-Concerns
-Public confrontations
-Armed conflict
-Private talks in US
-Rogers’s, Sisco’s opposition
-Egypt
-Golda Meir
-State Department’s role
-USSR involvement
-Kissinger’s, President’s views
-Talks with Leonid I. Brezhnev, Anatoly F. Dobrynin
-Objectives
-Settlement
-Client states
-Avoidance of conflicts with US
-US interests
-Jewish support for President
-Israel lobby
-US support for Israel
-Motives
-Balance of power
-Meir
-Statements of intransigence
-President’s concern
-Domestic pressures
-Status quo position
-Kissinger
-USSR role
-Helms’s role
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. August-10)
Conversation No. 855-12 (cont’d)
-Shah of Iran
-Moderate position
-Helms’s role
-Call to H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
-Departure for Iran
-Report
-Israeli-Arab negotiations
-President’s position
-Pressure on Israel
-USSR
-Pressure on Egypt
-Effect of US support of Israel
-Long term interests
-Isolation
-Anti-American Arabs
-USSR
Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 11:38 am.
Schedule[?]
Bull left at an unknown time before 11:52 am.
Middle East
-Helms
-Reputation as Pro-Arab
-President’s experience
-Visit to Egypt
-Gamal Abdel Nasser
-Dealings with Israelis
-Mission to Iran
-Pro-Israel assignment
-Publicity
-Helms’s attitude
-Support for settlement
-Tactics
-Need for action
-29-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. August-10)
Conversation No. 855-12 (cont’d)
-USSR
-Summit meeting
-Israel’s election
-Helms’s paper
-Haldeman
-Meeting with President
James R. Schlesinger
-Jewish background
-Lutheran
-Vulnerability
Jewish influence
-Kissinger
-Liberals’ criticism
-Vietnam settlement
-Bombing of Germany in World War II
Schlesinger
-CIA director
-Jewish background
President’s schedule
-Meeting with Helms
-Paper
-USSR
-Middle East settlement
-Meir’s visit
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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
[Privacy]
[Duration: 21s]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
-30-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. August-10)
Conversation No. 855-12 (cont’d)
*************************************************************************
Helms left at 11:52 am.