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Conversation 012-117

TapeTape 12StartMonday, October 25, 1971 at 3:12 PMEndMonday, October 25, 1971 at 3:15 PMTape start time05:05:58Tape end time05:09:02ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  White House operator;  Haig, Alexander M., Jr.Recording deviceWhite House Telephone
AI Summary

President Nixon and Alexander Haig coordinated the President’s upcoming schedule, including meetings with Marshal Tito and Indira Gandhi. They also discussed a diplomatic strategy regarding Laos and the United Nations vote on the People’s Republic of China. Nixon directed Haig to deliver an oral message to Souvanna Phouma through G. McMurtie Godley, emphasizing that a vote against the U.S. position could jeopardize future congressional support for Laos.

LaosUnited NationsPeople's Republic of ChinaForeign policyCongressional supportSouvanna Phouma
AudioNARA Description

On October 25, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, White House operator, and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. talked on the telephone from 3:12 pm to 3:15 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 012-117 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 12-117

Date: October 25, 1971
Time: 3:12 pm- 3:15 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The White House operator talked with the President.

[See Conversation No. 304-10]

     Telephone call from Alexander M. Haig, Jr.

President talked with Haig.

     The President's schedule
          -Marshal Josip Broz Tito
          -Mrs. Indira Gandhi

     US foreign relations
          -William P. Rogers
                -Laos
                      -Souvanna Phouma
                           -Message from the President
                           -United Nations [UN] vote on China
                                -People's Republic of China [PRC]
                           -G. McMurtie Godley
                           -Wording of message
                                               85

                           NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                       Tape Subject Log
                                         (rev. 10/06)
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 Do not cite this transcript as authoritative.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.

Yeah.
Mr. President, I have General Haig calling you.
All right.
Mr. President, sir.
Yes.
Hello.
Hello, Mr. President.
Yeah, Al.
Yes, sir.
We can do this, move the Tito meeting till Friday from Saturday.
Would you do that then?
It'll at least give me an option in case I want to take Saturday off.
Right, sir.
So we'll proceed that way and also set up the second meeting for Madam Gandy on Friday.
Right.
We have one thing, sir, that I wanted to check with you.
The Secretary wants to send a letter from you to Savannah Fuma in Laos.
He feels that this could be a very crucial vote at this point.
Yeah.
And he really wants to come down hard on it with a personal letter from you to Savannah.
I have no objection to that.
All right.
Do you?
No, I don't, sir.
Damn it, he ought to be with us.
He should be with us.
My only fear is that...
It'll leak out to the Chinese?
It'll get to the Chinese.
But we have some evidence of their mischief-making, too.
Well, the Chinese are playing that.
He thinks a personal letter, well...
If we could be sure that it was not left with him and read to him...
by Godley.
Why don't you try that?
I would feel more comfortable.
Why don't you have an oral message?
Or is that not satisfied?
Well, as long as it's written in the first person, I think that's tantamount to leaving a letter.
Why don't you have an oral message where Godley goes and talks to him and says that their vote may be the critical one?
And I just put it this way, that it now appears that their vote may be the critical one that will determine this issue.
that under the circumstances that, leaving all other issues aside, that if the Congress can point to the fact that their vote resulted in the expulsion of Taiwan, it would, in my opinion, it would seriously jeopardize their congressional support that I am fighting for.
How about putting it that way?
I think that's the better way to... Just right like that.
Yes, sir.
The congressional support that I'm fighting for and that I deeply believe in.
Right, sir.
But that we, and I would therefore, in order that I can continue to maintain congressional support for the effort in Laos, I would, on a personal basis, would strongly urge that in the interest of...
of that goal that he would vote with us on this.
Fine, sir.
I think that's a better way to do it.
That indications are that Louse's vote may be the determining vote.
Yes, sir.
And that this would spotlight.
Okay?
Very good, sir.
Good deal.
Fine.
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