Conversation: 864-007
Prev:  864-006 Next: 864-008Start Date: 27-Feb-1973 4:37 PM
End Date: 27-Feb-1973 5:19 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Helms, Richard M.; Kissinger, Henry A.; Recording Device: Oval Office
NARA Description:
On February 27, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, Richard M. Helms, and Henry A. Kissinger met in the Oval Office of the White House from 4:37 pm to 5:19 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 864-007 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 864-7 Date: February 27, 1973 Time: 4:37 pm-5:19 pm Location: Oval Office -9- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Mar.-09) Conversation No. 864-7 (cont’d) The President met with Richard M. Helms. Departure for Iran Rose Mary Woods Paper on Israel -Helms’s view -US position -Leverage Israel’s weapon requests -Planes -Golda Meir -Necessity -Air power capacities -Compared to 1967 war ****************************************************************************** BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1 [National security] [Duration 19s] WEAPONS END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1 ****************************************************************************** Golda Meir Prime Minister of Iran [Premier] Amir Abbas Hoveida -News summary -Jack Anderson story -Helms Shah of Iran, Mohammed Reza Pahlavi -Helm’s appointment as Ambassador to Iran -10- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Mar.-09) Conversation No. 864-7 (cont’d) -Reaction ****************************************************************************** BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2 [National security] [Duration: 12s] US-IRAN RELATIONS END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2 ****************************************************************************** Shah of Iran -Helms -Complimentary appointment -Visit to US -Scheduling -December -May, June -Empress Farah Diba -Public relations [PR] -Camp David -Demonstrations -Scheduling -Oil -Meeting with Helms -Relationship with US -Specialness -Relationship with Helms -Visit to US -Diba -Dinner in San Clemente -Camp David -State dinner -Camp David -Facilities -11- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Mar.-09) Conversation No. 864-7 (cont’d) -Visit to New York -Oil talks [?] -Progress Henry A. Kissinger entered at 4:45 pm. John B. Connally -Visit to Iran -Talk with Helms -President’s request Shah of Iran -Visit to US -Scheduling -Africans -Kissinger Sese Seko Mobutu -Patrol boats -Congo region -Communists -Trade for fire boats ****************************************************************************** BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3 [National security] [Duration: 20s] CONTACTS END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO.3 ****************************************************************************** Aden, Yemen -Cubans -Pilots, technicians -12- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Mar.-09) Conversation No. 864-7 (cont’d) Pakistan -Role of Iran -US aid -Iran -Spare parts -Morale -Zulfikar Ali Bhutto -Mrs. Bhutto -Hong Kong newspaper -Cable -Beauty Gulf states Iran -Diplomatic post -Excitement -Compared with Europe -Berlin, Bonn -East Europe Middle East -Persian Gulf -Kissinger’s talk with Hussein ibn Talal [Hussein, King of Jordan] -Oman -Difficulties -Helms’s viewpoint -State Department telegrams -Use of back channels Oman -Army -Dhofar region -Iran’s role -Sale of helicopters -Saudi Arabia’s role -Sale of helicopters -13- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Mar.-09) Conversation No. 864-7 (cont’d) -Financing -State Department -Foreign Military Sales Act compared with grant aid -Congress Iraq -Relations with French and Dutch -Impact on Iran and Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia -Ambassador -Nicholas G. Thacher -Career service -Oil reserves -Compared with Iran -American consortium -Share of market -Compared with Iran -Importance to US -Competition with Britain, France, and Japan -Solution -Ambassador Prisoners of war [POWs] -North Vietnamese Statements -Compliance with cease-fire agreement -Messages -Cease-fire violations -South Vietnam Cease-fire violations -Nguyen van Thieu -North Vietnam -Infiltrations -US reactions Oil problem -Need to have oil advisor in White House -14- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Mar.-09) Conversation No. 864-7 (cont’d) -Helm’s recommendation ****************************************************************************** BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4 [National security] [Duration: 3s] OIL END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4 ****************************************************************************** Oil problem -Oil advisor -Thomas C. Barger -Arabian-American Oil Company [ARAMCO] -Recommendations -Otto Miller -Caltex -John A. McCone -Qualifications -Retired to South Carolina; La Jolla, California -Experience -Alternative energy sources -Oil sheiks -Edward Teller -Advice -Ideas -Nuclear, shale -Charles J. DiBona -Teller -Problems Iran -State visit -Helms -15- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Mar.-09) Conversation No. 864-7 (cont’d) -Return to US -Report -John A.Volpe [?] Iran -Visit by President -Embassy -Accommodations -Compared with US embassy in Japan -Visit by President when out of office in 1967 -Women Helms left at 4:59 pm. Vietnam settlement -Cease-fire agreement Press conference -President’s attendance -Kissinger’s advice -Rhetoric -Cessation of bombing North Vietnamese complaints -Validity -Cease-fire violations -Government of Vietnam [GVN] [South Vietnam] -Joint Military Commission -Kissinger’s telegram to Thieu -Dissolution -Accommodations -Ellsworth F. Bunker -Message to North Vietnam -Talks with South Vietnam -Bunker -US response -Mining -POWs -16- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Mar.-09) Conversation No. 864-7 (cont’d) -Public relations -Resolution of problem Press conference -President’s appearance -President’s view -Questions -Aid to Vietnam -Thieu North Vietnam’s statements -POWs -Delay of release -Economic Commission -US delay -Reply to Kissinger’s message on mining -Toughness -Economic Commission -Kissinger’s reply -Economic Commission -Two-track method -South Vietnam Vietnam settlement -Kissinger’s view -POWs -Movement -Kissinger’s talk with William H. Sullivan -William P. Rogers -Conference -Kissinger’s talk with George R. S. Baring [Earl of Cromer] -House of Commons -Sir Alexander F. (“Alec”) Douglas-Home -Attendance at international conference on Vietnam -Rogers -Public relations -International conference on Vietnam -Credit -17- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Mar.-09) Conversation No. 864-7 (cont’d) -Douglas-Home, Nguyen Duy Trinh -People's Republic of China [PRC] -Message -POWs -US response -Reaction to delays -Aid to Vietnam -Stories -Effect -Public statements -Kissinger’s message -December 1972 bombing -Effect -Compared with private talks -Ultimatum Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR] -Summit -Handling -State Department -Rogers -Anatoliy F. Dobrynin International conference on Vietnam -President’s public pronouncements -List of POWs -Scheduled release dates Vietnam settlement -Cease-fire violations -Thieu -Laos -Infiltration -North and South Vietnam -Thieu’s actions -POWs -US aid to South Vietnam -18- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Mar.-09) Conversation No. 864-7 (cont’d) The Earl of Cromer -Story about Vietnam -Departure from post -Lady Cromer -Common market post Vietnam settlement -Length -US goal -Stability -Timing Vietnam -Public awareness -Waning interest -POWs -Troops South Vietnam -Number of US advisors -Civilian, economic, military -Survival -Settlement agreement -Number of US advisors -Reduction -News summary Helms -Job as ambassador Central Intelligence Agency [CIA] -James R. Schlesinger -Shake up ****************************************************************************** BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5 [National security] -19- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Mar.-09) Conversation No. 864-7 (cont’d) [Duration: 1m 22s] CIA END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5 ****************************************************************************** CIA -Office of Strategic Services [OSS] -Age International conference on Vietnam -USSR, PRC reactions -France -Georges J. R. Pompidou -North Vietnam -Canada -Pierre E. Trudeau -Relations with US -North Vietnam -National recognition -Peace settlement -Kissinger’s message -Joint Economic Commission -Thieu -Paris -Delivery -Timing -Tone -POWs -Return -North Vietnam’s response -Contents -Col. Bui Tin’s statement -Four-power military commission -Unofficial -Testing US -20- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Mar.-09) Conversation No. 864-7 (cont’d) -Military operations -Laos -Response to Saigon’s initiatives -Civilian prisoners Civilian prisoners -Number released -Convicts -Amnesty -Cadres -Number released -Disappearances -Numbers -Thieu -Responsibility -Effects on US -Nguyen Thi Binh -Foreign Minister of Provisional Revolutionary Government of South Vietnam -Capital -GVN -Territory -Civilian prisoners -Hanoi’s embarrassment Kissinger left at 5:19 pm.