Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 183 › Conversation 183-005
Nixon, Camp David Operator & Toumayan on Diplomacy and Ivory Coast
Monday, November 27, 1972 · 9:30 AM–11:20 AM ET · Camp David Study Desk · 17 min
AI Summary
President Richard M. Nixon held a telephone conversation with President Félix Houphouët-Boigny of the Ivory Coast to commemorate the inauguration of a new satellite communications earth station. The discussion was facilitated by interpreters and White House staff to ensure connectivity between Camp David and the Ivory Coast. Both leaders exchanged expressions of mutual support and appreciation, with Nixon pledging continued U.S. cooperation and personal interest in the nation's progress throughout his second term.
- Diplomacy
- Ivory Coast
- Satellite Communications
- U.S.-Africa Relations
- Félix Houphouët-Boigny
Audio
Transcript (AI-generated)
This transcript is incomplete. The transcription skipped stretches of speech — roughly 4 minutes of this recording (about 21% 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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.
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This is the president's office.
All right, I have the president.
They aren't on the line.
Do you want to log in?
I'll go ahead and log in.
Thank you.
One minute.
My name is Rick.
Okay.
They say yes.
All right, now, is the interpreter's line in?
Yeah.
Should be on the conference.
Right, yeah, I know.
And he's going to put them all in but you.
Okay, good.
All right, good.
He's going to put you on to the ivory cross first.
You just say hello and ask him to wait one minute and I'll get the person.
Hello?
Hello?
It's okay, I can hear him.
Can you hear me, Alec?
Yeah, I can hear you.
Is everything set the other way?
Okay.
Honey?
Hello?
Honey, are you here?
Hold everything a second.
Okay.
Thank you.
You're welcome.
Uh, I'm not hearing anyone right now.
Hello?
Hello?
Uh, put the Ivory Coast down, please.
The President's here.
Right.
Ivory Coast.
Hello?
Hello?
Hello, we're ready with the President.
Would you put your party in place?
Hello?
Hello?
Hello, every tone?
No, no, no.
Do you want me to ask for the connection in French, 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, Cote d'Ivoire?
The President Nixon is in his office.
We are calling the Côte d'Ivoire.
The President wishes... Hello?
Hello, Ivory Coast?
Hello?
Hello, Ivory Coast?
Hello, is it Kate?
Hello?
Hello, I'm on the... Get out.
What happened, Virginia?
My party gets on the line, Natalie.
Get out.
Hello?
On the line.
The president is on the line, Madeline.
Gotcha.
That's right.
Sorry.
President?
Hello?
Hello, Madeline?
Hello?
Hello?
Hello, Madeline?
Hello, Madeline?
is on the line and ready to talk, Madeline.
Hello?
Hello?
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.
We're trying to clear the circuit up.
Yes.
See, I can hear you very well, but when you put Camp David on, it isn't any good.
Yeah, I know.
Hello?
Frank?
This is Jack Byrne.
I'm at Camp David.
I can hear you very well.
Oh, you can?
Yes, sir.
One moment.
Madeline, Camp David is on right now.
See if you can hear him.
Hello?
Hello, Madeline.
David?
Hello?
Hello, Camp David.
Yes, this is Major Byrne.
I'm the President's aide at Camp David.
I hear you very well.
And I hear you very well, thank you.
Okay, and this is 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?
One moment, please.
Thank you.
Hello?
Hello?
Yes, we're putting the President, Ruffoy-Boigny, on the line.
Okay.
Do you have the President on the line?
He will be on as soon as we hear from President Ruffoy-Boigny and establish the interpreter relationship.
Hello?
Hello, Monsieur President?
Hello, we're putting President Nixon online right now.
Is the president there?
Yes, he's speaking.
Yes, yes, yes.
I'm the president's interpreter.
The president will pick up the phone in a second.
Here's the president coming.
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
for your invaluable contribution to our development.
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.
The inauguration of Kosovo last week
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
The people of Iwoari will never forget it.
I also want to take this opportunity to make you part of our highest appreciation for your hard work in the creation of a real peace
For your persistent search for a peace that is real, just, and lasting.
and I expect the explanation of all people, inviting the hope that these efforts will be successful, that you will have good health and the protection of the avalanche.
Mr. President, 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 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
uh 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 I want to reassure you, Mr. President, that for the rest of our mandate, in the next four years, you can always count not only on the official collaboration of our governments for the progress between our two peoples, but also on my personal interest towards you and your country.
because this greater opportunity, progress, justice for all people in the world, wherever they may live, is our common goal.
And I look forward to working with you 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 in office.
I would be very happy to respond to your invitation.
Thank you very much, and give our best wishes for the Christmas season and the New Year to all of your people.
Thank you.
We have the same faith and wishes for you and your family.
Thank you, Mr. President.
NARA Description
On November 27, 1972, 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. The Camp David Study Desk taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 183-005 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 183-5
Date: November 27, 1972
Time: Unknown between 9:30 am and 11:20 am
Location: Camp David Study Desk
The Camp David operator talked with John V. ("Jack") Brennan.
Alec G. Toumayan, interpreters, Camp David operators, and overseas operators are on the line.
[See Conversation Nos. 156-3, 231-3A, and 231-3B]
The President talked with Houphouet-Boigny between 11:14 am and 11:20 am.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.
- 156-003 9:30 AM · 18 min — 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Cite this conversation
Conversation 183-005, 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/183-005 (accessed October 10, 2026).