Nixon White House Tapes — Conversation 011-053
Date: Tuesday, October 12, 1971 at 9:20 AM
Participants: Kissinger, Henry A.; Meany, George
Recording device: White House Telephone
Source: https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/011-053

This transcript was generated automatically by AI (WhisperX) and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Do not cite it as authoritative.

[0:00] Hello?
[0:01] I have Mr. Meany.
[0:04] Hello?
[0:04] Hello?
[0:04] Mr. Meany?
[0:05] Yes.
[0:05] Henry Kissinger.
[0:06] How are you?
[0:07] Fine.
[0:07] Okay.
[0:08] I wanted to call you because at noon today, the president is going to make an announcement on foreign policy, which...
[0:14] The what?
[0:15] The president is going to make an announcement at noon today on foreign policy, which we wanted to give you some advance warning of.
[0:25] It is that after the meeting in Peking, towards the end of May, there will be a summit meeting with the Soviet leaders in Moscow.
[0:38] And the purpose of this is, I know you are very busy today, but perhaps in the next few days I could come by and give you some sense of the strategy, which is to keep those two in some sort of a balance with each other.
[0:55] and to try to get a negotiation going that might affect the Middle East and Vietnam and other parts.
[1:02] Is he setting a date today?
[1:03] No, he's just announcing that it will be, let me read you the announcement, may I?
[1:08] Yeah.
[1:08] Says the leaders of the United States and the Soviet Union in their exchanges during the past year have agreed that a meeting between them would be desirable once sufficient progress has been made in negotiations at a lower level.
[1:21] In light of the recent advances in bilateral and multilateral negotiations involving the two countries, it has been agreed that such a meeting will take place in Moscow in the latter part of May 1972.
[1:33] Oh, I see.
[1:33] It's in 72.
[1:35] Yes, I understand.
[1:37] President Nixon and the Soviet leaders will review all major issues with a view towards further improving their bilateral relations and enhancing the prospects for world peace.
[1:48] And...
[1:51] This is being, of course, embargoed till noon when we wanted you to have some advance word of it.
[1:57] Okay.
[1:58] Good, Mr. Meany.
[1:59] I'll call you in the next few days and talk to you further about it.
[2:02] Okay, thank you.
[2:03] Good.
[2:03] Goodbye.