{"conversationCode":"043-097","tapeNumber":43,"conversationNumber":97,"identifier":"37-wht-conversation-043-097","startDateTime":"1973-02-15T21:50:00.000Z","endDateTime":"1973-02-15T21:52:00.000Z","startDate":"15-Feb-1973","startTime":"4:50 PM","endDate":"15-Feb-1973","endTime":"4:52 PM","dateCertainty":"certain","timeCertainty":"certain","participants":"Nixon, Richard M. (President); White House operator; Scowcroft, Brent G. (Gen.);","description":"On February 15, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, White House operator, and Gen. Brent G. Scowcroft talked on the telephone from 4:50 pm to 4:52 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 043-097 of the White House Tapes.","locationCode":"WHT","recordingDevice":"White House Telephone","latitudeEstimated":38.89767,"longitudeEstimated":-77.03655,"chronCode":"5.3","chronRelease":"Fifth Chronological Release: Part III","chronReleaseDate":"23-Jun-2009","aogpRelease":null,"aogpSegment":null,"lastModified":"2015-07-27T17:04:10.235Z","findingAid":"Conversation No. 43-97\n\nDate: February 15, 1973\nTime: 4:50 pm - 4:52 pm\nLocation: White House Telephone\n\nThe President talked with the White House operator.\n\n[See Conversation No. 410-31 and Conversation No. 410-32]\n\n       Stephen B. Bull\n\n       Incoming call from Brent G. Scowcroft\n\n       Bull's location\n             -Requested call to the President\n\n       Connection of Scowcroft call\n\nThe President talked with Scowcroft.\n\n       Laos cease-fire\n            -Status of negotiations\n                  -The President’s breakfast meeting with Michael J. (“Mike”) Mansfield\n            -Cambodia negotiations\n\f                                             -55-\n\n                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM\n\n                                                              Conversation No. 43-97 (cont’d)\n\n             -The President’s instructions to Scowcroft\n                  -Briefing paper\n                        -Economic aid to North Vietnam\n                        -The President’s meeting with Senate leaders","filename":["043-097.mp3"],"tapeStart":"","tapeEnd":"","participantsList":["Nixon, Richard M. (President)","White House operator","Scowcroft, Brent G. (Gen.)"],"prevCode":"043-096","nextCode":"043-098","transcript":[{"start":6.88,"end":11.61,"text":"D1 General Scowcroft now?"},{"start":11.63,"end":22.53,"text":"Yeah, sure."},{"start":31.37,"end":36.32,"text":"What is the situation with regard to that Laos ceasefire thing?"},{"start":36.34,"end":38.84,"text":"Is that still being pushed back?"},{"start":38.86,"end":40.68,"text":"It's still hanging fire, Mr. President."},{"start":41.51,"end":46.71,"text":"There are two or three points on which they've not yet come to agreement."},{"start":46.73,"end":52.36,"text":"For example, what the title of the Royal Ocean Government would be."},{"start":52.87,"end":77.05,"text":"in an agreement and a couple of other points uh i probably will see mansfield in the morning couple others and they'll ask about it and what can i tell them sir can i give you just a brief paragraph on on where we stand what the issues are yeah and uh the uh we still expect to get it don't we yes oh yes yeah that's right that's just they're in the very the very final stages"},{"start":77.23,"end":79.98,"text":"But they're still hung up over a couple of points."},{"start":80.58,"end":86.42,"text":"We are still positive rather than, we're optimistic rather than pessimistic on this."},{"start":86.44,"end":86.92,"text":"I think so."},{"start":89.27,"end":93.49,"text":"Give me a paragraph or two that I can talk to about Cambodia, if you would."},{"start":93.51,"end":95.07,"text":"I certainly will."},{"start":95.61,"end":96.75,"text":"Fine."},{"start":96.77,"end":105.2,"text":"And also one paragraph with regard to communique is on that communique on"},{"start":107.76,"end":110.2,"text":"or just give me a paragraph on that."},{"start":110.22,"end":116.47,"text":"So I have the three, I, they will know it, or will expose them, but I've got to emphasize them, and I've got to give them a little song and dance about it."},{"start":118.21,"end":119.33,"text":"We need their support for it."},{"start":121.12,"end":121.36,"text":"Right, sir."},{"start":121.38,"end":121.5,"text":"Okay?"},{"start":121.52,"end":122.46,"text":"Certainly will."},{"start":122.48,"end":123.52,"text":"Yes, sir, I'll get right into it."},{"start":123.54,"end":126.32,"text":"We're going to discuss other things, but I know these questions they will ask."},{"start":126.75,"end":127.03,"text":"Very good."},{"start":127.33,"end":128.59,"text":"And we can have at it."},{"start":128.77,"end":129.35,"text":"Thank you very much."},{"start":129.37,"end":130.81,"text":"I'll get in there very shortly, sir."},{"start":130.83,"end":130.95,"text":"Right."}],"aiSummary":{"text":"President Nixon consulted with General Brent Scowcroft regarding the status of ongoing ceasefire negotiations in Laos and Cambodia to prepare for upcoming meetings with Senate leaders, including Mike Mansfield. Scowcroft reported that the Laos negotiations were in the final stages despite lingering disagreements over minor points. The President requested brief summaries on the status of these negotiations, as well as on potential economic aid to North Vietnam, to ensure he could adequately brief Congress and secure legislative support.","topics":["Laos ceasefire","Cambodia","North Vietnam","Mike Mansfield","Congressional relations","Foreign policy"],"generatedAt":"2026-04-06T06:32:55.750Z"},"topicSlugs":["laos-ceasefire","cambodia","north-vietnam","mike-mansfield","congressional-relations","foreign-policy"],"audioDurationSec":138,"audioFiles":[{"file":"043-097.mp3","bytes":3314598,"durationSec":137.97,"bitrate":192187,"missing":false}],"audioIsShared":false,"audioProbedAt":"2026-09-18T02:19:30.085Z","findingAidSource":"nixonlibrary.gov subject log (2024-05), reslice-v2","findingAidUpdatedAt":"2026-09-18T08:42:43.858Z","audio":["https://nixon.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/audio/043-097.mp3"],"url":"https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/043-097","nixonLibraryUrl":"https://www.nixonlibrary.gov/white-house-tapes/043/conversation-043-097","catalogNaId":417194905,"catalogUrl":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/417194905","license":"Public domain (U.S. Government work). AI-generated fields (transcript, aiSummary) are provided as-is without warranty."}