Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 6 › Conversation 006-079

Nixon phone call with Dobrynin on Soviet Union and Diplomacy

Thursday, July 1, 1971 · 3:14 PM–3:16 PM ET · White House Telephone · 2 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Dobrynin, Anatoliy F.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Dobrynin, Anatoliy F.Conversation006-079 on Tape 6 (tape position 01:23:47–01:25:59)StartThursday, July 1, 1971 at 3:14 PMEndThursday, July 1, 1971 at 3:16 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 006-079 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Soviet Ambassador Anatoliy Dobrynin spoke to follow up on the President's previous condolence call regarding the deaths of three Soviet cosmonauts. Dobrynin formally conveyed the gratitude of Soviet leaders Leonid Brezhnev, Aleksei Kosygin, and Nikolai Podgorny for the sympathy expressed by Nixon and his family. The exchange served as a diplomatic gesture of goodwill, with both parties acknowledging the importance of mutual respect during the pursuit of space exploration.

Audio

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Transcript (AI-generated)

This transcript was generated automatically by AI (WhisperX) and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Names and numbers are often wrong; speakers are not identified. Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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I have reported to Moscow about your telephone call in connection with the tragic death of the Soviet cosmonaut.
The Soviet leaders urgently instructed me to convey to you, Mr. President, and I am reading from the telegram I received from them, Mr. President Kosygin, Pogorny, and others, their sincere appreciation for your kind words of sympathy in connection with the tragic death of the cosmonauts Dabrowolski, Volkov, and Patsaev.
That's their name.
Mr.
Leaders, the telegram going on, of the Soviet Union, as the whole people of our country,
feel this loss very keenly.
The exploits of the parish explorers of the outer space, be they Soviets or Americans, are worthy of the highest respect since they gave their lives in the name of humanity for its progress.
The Soviet leaders send their hearty and deepest gratitude to you, Mr. President, personally, and to all members of your family for your kind expression of sympathy which you conveyed yesterday.
Well, that's a very gracious wire, and I thank you very much.
And I thank you for what you called me yesterday, because it's very important, and I do appreciate that both of our leaders exchanged on this other set occasion, but I should say the expression of sympathy.
Right.
Well, as I told you, our whole family feels that way, even my daughter called from Athens.
Yes, and I mentioned exactly that.
Did you tell them?
I emphasize that to all members of your family, wife and your daughters, not only for you personally, but for all your family.
I know for the first time they go to the family affairs.
Usually they do not go.
I noticed that.
I noticed that.
Well, thank you very much for your call yesterday, and thank you very much for today.
Thank you very much.
Thank you very much.
Goodbye, Mr. President.

NARA Description

On July 1, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and Anatoliy F. Dobrynin talked on the telephone from 3:14 pm to 3:16 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 006-079 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 6-79

Date: July 1, 1971
Time: 3:14 pm - 3:16 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Anatoliy F. Dobrynin.

[See Conversation No. 261-31]

     President's condolence call to Dobrynin, June 30,
           -Deaths of Soviet cosmonauts
           -Soviet Leaders' telegram to Dobrynin
                 -Leonid I. Brezhrev
                 -Aleksei N. Kosygin
                 -Nikolai V. Podgorny
                 -Lt. Col. Georgi T. Dobrovolsky
                 -Vladislav N. Volkov
                 -Viktor I. Patsayev
           -Condolences from President's Family
                 -Julie Nixon Eisenhower's call to President from Athens
                 -Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon

Also recorded on July 1, 1971

  • 006-078 2:11 PM · 26 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 2:11 pm.
  • 261-031 3:14 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Anatoliy F. Dobrynin met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 3:14 pm to 3:16 pm.
  • 261-032 3:17 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at 3:17 pm.
  • 261-033 3:18 PM · 16 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 3:18 pm to 3:22 pm.
  • 261-034 3:22 PM · 21 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 3:22 pm and 3:55 pm.
  • 261-035 3:55 PM · 30 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Henry A. Kissinger, Alexander P. Butterfield, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, unknown person(s), and John D. Ehrlichman met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 3:55 pm to 4:25 pm.
  • 006-080 4:09 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, and John D. Ehrlichman talked on the telephone from 4:09 pm to 4:11 pm.
  • 006-081 4:11 PM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 4:11 pm and 5:09 pm.

All 57 conversations from July 1, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 006-079, July 1, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/006-079 (accessed October 13, 2026).