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Conversation 014-062

TapeTape 14StartThursday, November 11, 1971 at 6:30 PMEndThursday, November 11, 1971 at 6:55 PMTape start time02:00:14Tape end time02:06:08ParticipantsKissinger, Henry A.;  White House operator;  McCloy, John J.;  Kissinger, Henry A.;  White House operator;  McCloy, John J.Recording deviceWhite House Telephone
AI Summary

Henry Kissinger contacted John J. McCloy to gauge his interest in serving as the U.S. Ambassador to NATO. Motivated by a desire to strengthen U.S.-European relations and address concerns regarding Mutual and Balanced Force Reductions (MBFR), the administration sought a figure of McCloy’s stature to restore confidence among allies. Kissinger framed the potential one-year appointment as a significant sacrifice, intended to preemptively test McCloy's willingness before a formal request from the President.

NATOJohn J. McCloyDiplomatic relationsMutual and Balanced Force ReductionsAmbassadorship
AudioNARA Description

On November 11, 1971, Henry A. Kissinger, White House operator, and John J. McCloy talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 6:30 pm and 6:55 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 014-062 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 14-62

Date: November 11, 1971
Time: Unknown between 6:30 pm and 6:55 pm
Location: White House Telephone

Henry A. Kissinger talked with the White House operator.

     John J. McCloy

Kissinger talked with McCloy.

[See Conversation No. 298-45C]

     Kissinger's conversation with the President
          -Kissinger's meeting with McCloy
          -US relations with Europe
                -Mutual and Balanced Force Reduction [MBFR]
          -North Atlantic Treaty Organization [NATO] Ambassadorship
                -McCloy
                     -Stature
                     -European relations
                     -Time of service
                     -Complications
                     -McCloy's statements at General Advisory Committee meeting
                           -Role
                -McCloy's schedule
                     -Kissinger
Transcript (AI-Generated)

This transcript was generated automatically by AI and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Do not cite this transcript as authoritative. Consult the Finding Aid above for verified information.

Hello?
John McCloy is on the line.
Hello?
Hello?
Hello?
Yeah, hello?
Hello?
Hello, Jack?
Yes, hello, Harry.
Henry, how are you?
Okay, Jack, you and I have been trying to reach each other and managed to miss each other for a week.
Yeah, well, that's okay.
But I... You've been terribly involved.
But I'm calling you today about the following.
The President and I have been talking about the developments in Europe.
Yes.
And I also told him about my meeting with you with the advisory committee.
Yes.
And we feel that we badly need to put our relations to Europe on a new and firm basis.
Yes.
and also, frankly, to get somebody to get a hold of this MPFR business before it's used as a wedge to drive our allies totally into a total lack of confidence in us.
Yeah, the other side, yeah.
So, as you know, the NATO ambassadorship is vacant at this moment.
Yes.
And the President asked me to explore with you whether knowing it would be an enormous sacrifice
uh we uh you would agree to serve there for a year we need a towering figure there now and uh he will ask you himself but for obvious reasons he'd like me to find out first whether this is totally out of the ballpark yeah got it prestige your proposal hell of a
You know, there's really a lot of, we have a lot of names and it's a job that people are dying to get.
Yeah.
But there's only one person who represents this great tradition of U.S.-European relationships, who has the statue in Europe, who can be both first
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