Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 156 › Conversation 156-003

Nixon, Houphouet-Boigny & Camp David Operator on Ivory Coast

Monday, November 27, 1972 · 9:30 AM–11:20 AM ET · Camp David Study Table · 18 min

ParticipantsCamp David Operator; Brennan, John V.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Houphouet-Boigny, FelixConversation156-003 on Tape 156StartMonday, November 27, 1972 at 9:30 AMEndMonday, November 27, 1972 at 11:20 AMRecording deviceCamp David Study TableSourceNixon Library record for 156-003 ↗

AI Summary

President Richard M. Nixon held a telephone conversation with President Félix Houphouet-Boigny of the Ivory Coast to mark the inauguration of a new satellite communications station. The leaders discussed the economic progress of the Ivory Coast, the importance of fostering global peace, and their mutual commitment to continued cooperation. During the call, President Nixon expressed his personal admiration for Houphouet-Boigny’s leadership and extended an invitation for a future meeting to further strengthen bilateral relations.

Audio

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Transcript (AI-generated)

This transcript is incomplete. The transcription skipped stretches of speech — roughly 4 minutes of this recording (about 22% of it) is represented by only a few words. Listen to the audio rather than relying on the text below; a corrected transcript is queued.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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've got a notebook handy, so... Yeah, I'll just wave to Brennan.
Okay, I'll go home.
Hello.
Hello.
You ready?
Are you calling me?
All right.
No, I'm listening in.
Oh, okay.
All right.
I'm just going to get something from, yeah, that's right.
All right, now, is the interpreter's line in on that?
I can't hear a thing now.
There you are.
Hello?
Okay, I can hear him.
Can you hear me, Alec?
Yeah, yeah, I can hear you.
Is everything set the other way?
Right.
I'll go get the president right now.
Okay.
Hello?
Hello?
Hello, yes?
Hold everything a second.
Okay.
Thank you.
You're welcome.
I'm not hearing anyone right now.
Hello?
Hello?
Put the Ivory Coast on, please.
The President's here.
Alright.
Ivory Coast?
Hello?
Hello?
Hello, we're ready with the President.
Will you put your party on, please?
Hello?
Hello?
Hello, Ivory Coast?
No, no, no.
Do you want me to ask for the connection in France, operator?
Well, they claimed that their party was ready and on the line, but we don't hear them.
Okay, they claimed that the party was ready and on the line, but we don't hear them now.
Hello, Côte d'Ivoire?
Hello, Ivory Coast.
Hello.
Sorry, he wasn't answering.
Hello, Ivory Coast.
Hello, Ivory Coast.
Hello?
Hello?
This is what happened, Virginia.
My party is on the line, Madeline.
Hello?
Hello?
On the line.
The President is on the line, Madeleine.
Sorry.
President?
Hello?
Hello, Madeleine?
Hello?
Hello?
Hello, Madeleine?
Hello, Madeleine?
Is on the line and ready to talk, Madeleine.
Hello.
Yes.
We do not hear you at all over here.
You don't hear me?
No, not at all.
And there's an echo on the circuit.
Hold on just a minute.
Hold on, Madeline.
We're getting it cleared.
This is terrible.
Hello?
Sorry to keep you waiting, but trying to clear the circuit up.
Hello?
Yes.
See, I can see you very well, but when you put Camp David on, it isn't any good.
Yeah, I know.
Hello?
Frank?
This is Jack Burnett.
I'm at Camp David.
I can hear you very well.
You can?
Yes, sir.
One moment.
Madeline, Camp David is on right now.
See if you can hear him.
Hello, Madeline.
Hello?
Hello, Camp David.
Yes, this is Major Brennan, the President's aide at Camp David.
I hear you very well.
And I hear you very well, thank you.
Okay, and this is the intro for President Nixon.
I can hear you very clearly, too.
Can you hear me?
Yes, I can hear you very well.
Okay, fine.
Are you ready or what?
Is President Hofer-Bunyan on the line?
One moment.
Hello?
Hello?
Yes, we're putting the President, Hufvud Banier, on the line.
Okay.
Do you want to check?
Do you have the President on the line?
He will be on as soon as we hear from President Hufvud Banier and establish the interpreter relationship.
Hello?
Hello, Monsieur President?
Hello, we're putting President Nixon online right now.
Is it the president who's whistling?
Yes, he's speaking.
Yes, yes, yes.
Respect, Mr. President.
I'm the president's interpreter.
The president is going to pick up the phone in a second.
Here's the president arriving.
Hello?
Hello?
You have President Nixon at the end of the line, Mr. President.
Mr. President, the inauguration of our Earth Station for satellite communications, following the path opened by your great country, gives me the opportunity to tell you again our sincere gratitude
Mr. President, the inauguration of our land station for communication following the example set by your great country gives me the occasion to reiterate our gratitude for the contribution you have made to our development.
in the presence of your personal representatives has marked in a striking way the personal interest that you bring to our development.
This, the Ivorian people will never forget.
I also want to seize this opportunity to share with you our highest appreciation for your thorough research in view of the establishment of a real peace
I also wish to avail myself of this opportunity to express our persuasion.
for a peace that is real, just, and lasting.
And I express the aspirations of all people in voicing the hope that these efforts will be successful, that you will have good health and the protection of the everlasting.
I greatly appreciate the opportunity to talk to you personally by telephone through this historic new satellite communication.
And while I have not had the opportunity of meeting you personally, my wife still speaks of her very warm memories of the wonderful welcome she received when she was in Ivory Coast last year.
On my own visit to Ivory Coast during the 1960s, I was enormously impressed by the economic progress, by the tremendous development of your country.
And Mrs. Nixon reported to me and other friends like Edgar Kaiser, who was recently in your country, that the Ivory Coast is one of the finest examples in the world of a new country making great economic progress under dynamic leadership of its president.
And Mrs. Nixon told me, and my friend Edgar Kaiser, who was recently in your country, also told me that the Ivory Coast is one of the best examples
And I can assure you, Mr. President, that during the remainder of my term of office these next four years that you can always count on not only the United States government to cooperate with your government for
progress for both of our people, but you can count on my personal interest in your country and your own success.
because uh peace uh greater opportunity uh progress uh justice for all people in the world wherever they may live is our common goal and i look forward to working with you uh toward the achievement of that goal not only in your country but in the great
continent of Africa and all over the world.
Thank you, Mr. President.
And Mr. President, I hope to have the opportunity at some time to meet with you personally during my second term.
I would be very happy to respond to your invitation.
Thank you very much.
And let me give our best wishes for
the Christmas season and the New Year.
Thank you.
We have the same fears and wishes for you and your family.
Thank you.

NARA Description

On November 27, 1972, Camp David operator, John V. Brennan, President Richard M. Nixon, and Felix Houphouet-Boigny talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 9:30 am and 11:20 am. The Camp David Study Table taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 156-003 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 156-3

Date: November 27, 1972
Time: Unknown between 9:30 am and 11:20 am
Location: Camp David Study Table

Camp David operators, John V. ("Jack") Brennan, interpreters, and overseas operators are on the
line. There is some difficulty in clearing the circuit for an upcoming conversation between the
President and Félix Houphouet-Boigny.

[See Conversation Nos. 183-4, 183-5, 231-3A, and 231-3B]

       The President’s incoming calls
            -Handling
            -Interpretation
            -Connection
            -Ivory Coast
            -The President on the line
            -Clarity
            -Houphouet-Boigny

President Houphouet-Boigny talked with the President between 11:14 am and 11:20 am.

       [Discussion in French]

       Ivory Coast
                                                -3-

                     NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                                              Conversation No. 156-3 (cont’d)

            -Development
                 -Communications station
                 -Gratitude

       Vietnam War
            -Negotiations

       Communications satellite system [Intelsat]

       Ivory Coast
             -Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon’s visit
             -The President’s visit in 1960s
                   -Economic progress
             -Edgar F. Kasier
             -Development
                   -Houphouet-Boigny’s leadership
             -The President’s support
                   -Cooperation
                   -Common goals
             -The President’s meeting with Houphouet-Boigny
                   -Invitation

       Best wishes

Also recorded on November 27, 1972

  • 156-001 9:30 AM · 17 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 9:30 am and 11:14 am.
  • 156-002 9:30 AM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 9:30 am and 11:14 am.
  • 183-004 9:30 AM · 1 min — John V. Brennan, Camp David operator, and Alex G. Toumayan talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 9:30 am and 11:14 am.
  • 183-005 9:30 AM · 17 min — Camp David operator, John V. Brennan, Alex G. Toumayan, President Richard M. Nixon, and Felix Houphouet-Boigny talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 9:30 am and 11:20 am.
  • 231-001 9:30 AM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 9:30 am and 11:14 am.
  • 231-002 9:30 AM · 44 sec — John V. Brennan and Alex G. Toumayan met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 9:30 am and 11:14 am.
  • 231-003 9:30 AM · 17 min — John V. Brennan, Alex G. Toumayan, Camp David operator, President Richard M. Nixon, and Felix Houphouet-Boigny met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 9:30 am and 11:14 am.
  • 231-019 9:30 AM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 9:30 am and 11:14 am.

All 19 conversations from November 27, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 156-003, November 27, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/156-003 (accessed October 22, 2026).