Nixon White House Tapes ›Tape 20 › Conversation 020-046
Nixon, Kissinger & Barnes on People's Republic of China and Argentina
Monday, February 7, 1972 · 8:55 AM–11:41 AM ET · White House Telephone ·18 min
AI Summary
President Nixon and General Alejandro A. Lanusse of Argentina held a telephone conversation to discuss international relations and bilateral economic cooperation. The leaders addressed Nixon’s upcoming trip to the People's Republic of China, with Lanusse expressing support for the initiative and confirming Argentina's own move to normalize relations with Beijing. They also reviewed the progress of an Argentine financial mission in Washington, with Nixon pledging U.S. support for Argentina's economic stability and emphasizing the importance of their continued diplomatic and trade partnership.
- People's Republic of China
- Argentina
- Foreign Policy
- Economic Cooperation
- International Relations
- Trade Liberalization
Audio
Transcript (AI-generated)
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Yes, please.
Hello.
Yes, Mr. President.
Where's that call?
Right here.
There you are.
Hello?
Hello.
Hello, just a second.
Just a second, sir.
Hello?
Hello?
Yes, just a second, sir.
My press assistant's coming to the line.
Mr. President, I'm sorry.
They said he had him on the line.
It's all right.
Hello?
Hello?
Hello?
Can I go ahead, please?
Hello, this is Colonel Margie.
Is Mr. President here on?
Hello.
Hello.
This is going to take 50 minutes.
Do you want to hear it?
OK. Yeah.
Yeah, hello, I'm on.
Hello, this is Colonel Mallea, sir.
Good morning.
Yes, good morning.
Hello.
Hello, this is Colonel Mallea.
Eighth day camp to His Excellency, the President of Argentina.
Yes, sir.
Yes, I'm, uh... What's that?
Hello?
Hello?
Yes, would you put President Lanuce on, please, Colonel?
Yes, thank you very much, sir.
Hello?
Yes.
Hello, can you hear me?
Yes.
Hello.
Hello.
Hello.
They are answering, sir.
Hello.
Very well, this is Casa Blanca in Washington.
Yes.
Yes.
Could you please communicate with President Lanús?
President Nixon is waiting.
Hello.
Hello.
Yes.
Hello.
Could you please communicate with President Lanusse?
President Nixon is waiting here.
I'm with President Lanusse.
President Lanusse?
General Lanusse here.
I want to know if you can hear me well.
Very well, sir.
Now I'm going to call President Nixon.
Mr. President, he's on, sir.
Hello?
Hello?
Yes?
President Lanusse?
Yes, sir.
This is President Nixon speaking.
Yes, hello, Mr. President.
Very well, Mr. President.
It's a pleasure to be able to talk with you.
Very well, Mr. President.
It's a pleasure to be able to talk with you.
Yes, it's a pleasure to hear from you, Mr. President.
It's a pleasure for me too, Mr. President, to be able to communicate with you.
I would like to express, before entering into other topics, my personal thanks for your interest
Before we go into any other matters, Mr. President, I would like to express my deep personal appreciation for the interest you expressed in my illness some time back.
Well, I hope, Mr. President, you're totally recovered because we know you have great responsibilities in your position as head of state in Argentina.
I am grateful for your understanding, Mr. President.
Mr. President, everybody is aware of your forthcoming trip to mainland China, and the government of Argentina and our whole nation believes that this journey of yours has special significance because of the necessary relationship with the countries of the world.
I appreciate, Mr. President, your good wishes, and you can be sure that
we will do everything we can to make the world a more peaceful place as a result of this visit.
Well, thank you very much, Mr. President, for your good wishes, and you can be sure that we will do everything possible so that the world will be a place where there is greater peace in the future.
On the same subject, I would like to express to you that we consider that your trip
also in connection with your trip mr president we believe that it contributes a great deal to the breaking down of ideological borders and barriers and this is an enterprise which the argentine government has already spoken out in favor in the past
I greatly appreciate, Mr. President, your support of our initiatives, and you can be sure that all of our initiatives in the world will not be taken at the expense of our friends, our great friends like Argentina.
Correct.
I now want to move on to another topic.
As I pointed out in my letter on October 23 of last year, referring to your policy on regional responsibilities and affirming the principles of voluntary cooperation, a policy that my government shares, I wish to put in your knowledge that the Argentine Republic
has resolved to normalize its relations with the People's Republic of China.
Mr. President, as I said to you in the letter dated October 23 of last year, in which we were speaking of a policy of regional responsibility and of voluntary cooperation, a policy that the Argentine government shares completely, the Argentine Republic in line with that policy has decided to normalize its relations with the People's Republic of China.
We are moving in the direction of a more normal relation with the People's Republic.
We do not expect to have this trip, of course, set up formal recognition, but this trip will contribute to a dialogue between the two countries.
Well, Mr. President, we are naturally approaching more normal relations with the People's Republic of China.
We do not expect our future trip to be the moment to start formal recognition of that republic, but yes, this trip will give a framework within which the two countries can dialogue.
Completing this idea, I would also like to express to you that we have already put this policy into effect.
And to be specific about this policy, Mr. President, we are actually implementing this policy of relationship.
On another topic, I would like to address the President, our satisfaction with the march, the positive evolution that financial management has had,
to carry out the mission of Dr. Brignones, at the same time as to give you our recognition for the excellent disposition that the government of the United States of America has put into evidence.
To go on to another subject, Mr. President, I would like to express my deep satisfaction with the positive progress that has been made by the financial mission headed by Dr. Brignone that we have sent to the United States and to express our appreciation for the very excellent attitude displayed by various officials of the United States government.
Well, I'm keeping in very close touch with Secretary Connolly, who is in charge of this on our part, and he has told me of the meeting Mr.
Petty, Assistant Secretary, has had with you, with your government, and we will try to be as helpful as we can on these matters that are of such enormous importance to the future economic progress of Argentina.
Yes, I am in very close contact with Secretary Conaly, who is responsible for our government in these matters, and he has mentioned the meeting that the Deputy Secretary Petty has had with the Argentine government, and you can be sure that we will try to help as much as possible in a matter like this, which is so important for the economic future of Argentina.
Even though I do not see your great understanding of the scope and projections of this mission, I want to add that we attach particular importance to the success of it.
because this will not only contribute to the greatest well-being in my country, but also to expand the possibilities of cooperation in the Latin American field, which will contribute to the effective exercise of representative democracy as well as the human rights consecrated in the norms that govern the Latin American system.
Mr. President, although I'm aware of your great understanding as to the scope and the projections of our Argentine mission, I would like to add that the success of this mission is of paramount importance, not only because it will contribute greatly to the welfare of Argentina, but it will also broaden the possibilities of cooperation within the Latin American sphere and will thus contribute to the effective exercise of representative democracy and human rights, the standards under which the inter-American system operates.
We consider Argentina to be one of our strongest and best friends in the world.
We know that Argentina has had some economic difficulties, but we want you, Mr. President, to know that to the extent that we can,
Within our laws, we want to be of assistance along with other members of the international community to Argentina in its attempt to move forward economically.
Yes, Mr. President, we consider that Argentina is one of our strongest and best friends that we have in the whole world and we know at the same time the economic problems that this nation faces.
And I want you to know that to the extent that we can do it within the framework of our laws, we will try to help as much as possible, as well as other members of the international community, to contribute to the economic progress of the Argentine Republic.
President,
I recognize that positive attitude of the president.
I also want to take advantage of this opportunity to advocate for the liberalization of reciprocal trade between our nations, as well as in the world order or scope.
I understand that, Mr. President.
I recognize this very, very positive attitude on your part.
And finally, I would like to put in a word here for a plea for a liberalization of reciprocal trade between our two countries and also on a worldwide level.
Well, our concerns are not just economic ones, but we are also interested in our political relations and also the friendship that we have traditionally had.
And that is the solid basis for progress in the economic area, where self-interest is what primarily motivates countries.
Yes, our concerns are not only about the economic order, we are also interested in our political relations and also the traditional friendship that has existed between our two nations, because with these good political relations it is possible then to achieve good economic progress, because naturally a nation does what best suits it.
I share the points of view of the President, I want to say goodbye.
Presenting a cordial and respectful greeting, the personal name, the name of the Argentine people for all the people of the United States of America, reiterating our decision.
to break, to fight, to maintain the political philosophy that has traditionally characterized Argentina and that has allowed at all times the maintenance of close and friendly relations with countries like the United States.
Mr. President, I share those viewpoints completely, and I would like to say farewell to you now, but reiterating before I do so my cordial and respectful greetings to you on behalf of myself and on behalf of the Argentine people for all of the people of the United States of America, reiterating our decision to keep up our struggle to maintain the political philosophy which has traditionally characterized Argentina and which has enabled us to maintain friendly relations with a number of countries of the world, notably the United States.
Mr. President, I'm delighted to have this opportunity to talk with you on the phone, and I look forward to the time when the two of us can meet personally, because the great country of the South, the great people of Argentina, and the people of the United States of America, the North,
have a long record of friendship and cooperation, and I hope that while you are the president of your country and I am the president of our country, that we can work together for progress within our countries, for progress for the whole American community, the American family, and for peace and friendship in the whole world.
Yes, Mr. President, it has been a great pleasure for me to be able to talk to you on the phone and I hope that we have the opportunity to get to know each other personally because you come from the great nation of the South representing the great Argentine people and it is only logical that the great Argentine people can communicate with the representatives of the people of the United States of America.
due to our great historical tradition of friendship and cooperation between our two countries.
And I hope that while you and I both continue to be presidents, we will continue to collaborate in the future to achieve greater progress within our respective nations and also within the community of nations of the Western Hemisphere and also in favor of the cause of peace and world friendship.
Muy bien, señor.
Con esto doy por terminada la conversación.
Le reitero mi reconocimiento y la expresión de que en esta forma siempre tendremos mejores posibilidades para ser de utilidad, no solo a nuestros pueblos, sino a los otros pueblos.
Mr. President, I'm saying farewell to you.
I would like to reiterate my appreciation to you, and I think that in this way we will be able to, both of us, to be more useful to our respective peoples and to the peoples of the American community of nations in particular, and also to the peoples of the world.
Good day.
Thank you very much.
Muchas gracias, señor presidente.
NARA Description
On February 7, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, White House operator, Henry A. Kissinger, Donald F. Barnes, unknown person(s), and Gen. Alejandro A. Lanusse talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 8:55 am and 11:41 am. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 020-046 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 20-46
Date: February 7, 1972
Time: Unknown between 8:55 am and 11:41 am
Location: White House Telephone
The President talked with the White House operator.
[See Conversation No. 666-2B]
Henry A. Kissinger and Donald F. Barnes entered at 11:24 am.
Barnes talked with an unknown Colonel at an unknown time after 11:24 am; the President and
Kissinger can be heard in the background.
The President talked with Gen. Alejandro A. Lanusse between 11:24 am and 11:41 am.
[See Conversation No. 666-2D]
Greetings
-Gratitude for president's expression of sympathy
The President’s forthcoming trip to People’s Republic of China [PRC]
-Significance
-Lanusse’s view
-US goals
-Breaking down of ideological barriers
-Lanusse’s view
-US initiatives
-US allies
-Argentina’s normalizing relations with PRC
-Lanusse’s October 23, 1971 letter to the President
-US recognition of PRC
-Contribution of trip
-Dialogue
-Argentina’s policy
-Implementation
Financial mission to US
-Progress
-Carlos Brignone
-Attitude of US
-President’s communication with John B. Connally
-John R. Petty meeting with Lanusse
-US view
-Aid to Argentina
-Importance of mission success
-Inter-American cooperation
-Democracy, human rights
-US view of Argentina
-Friendship
-Economic situation
-US assistance
-Argentina view of us attitude
-Reciprocal trade
-Liberalization
-US concerns
-Political relations
-Friendship
-Basis for progress
-Economic self-interest
-Argentina’s political goals
Friendship of countries
-The President’s possible meeting with Lanusse
-Progress for American community
-World peaceAlso recorded on February 7, 1972
- 666-001 8:55 AM · 15 min — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:55 am and 9:32 am.
- 666-002 9:32 AM · 2 hr 21 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Manolo Sanchez, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, unknown person(s), John D. Ehrlichman, Rose Mary Woods, Ronald L. Ziegler, Stephen B. Bull, White House operator, Donald F. Barnes, Henry A. Kissinger, and Gen. Alejandro A. Lanusse met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 9:32 am and 11:54 am.
- 020-047 11:41 AM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 11:41 am and 3:41 pm.
- 090-001 11:54 AM — President Richard M. Nixon, United States Attorneys, Treasury Department officials, and Justice Department officials, including Whitney N. Seymour, Jr., William D. Keller, James R. Thompson, Jr., Harold H. Titus, Jr., Louis C. Bechtle, Ralph Guy, Jr., Joseph L. Tauro, James L. Browning, Jr., Richard L. Thornburgh, George Beall, Herbert J. Stein, Anthony J. P. Farris, Eldon B. Mahon, Stan Pitkin, John W. Stokes, Jr., Donald O'Connor, Harry D. Steward, Robert W. Rust, James L. Treece, Gerald J. Gallinghouse, Daniel Bartlett, Frederick Coleman, Sidney I. Lezak, William Smitherman, William W. Milligan, David J. Cannon, John L. Briggs, Wayman G. Sherrer, James M. Sullivan, Jr., F. L. Peter Stone, Richard G. Kleindeinst, Myles J. Ambrose, Henry E. Petersen, Jerris Leonard, John E. ("Jack") Ingersoll, Harlington Wood, Jr., Eugene T. Rossides, John F. Hanlon, Egil ("Bud") Krogh, Jr., Geoffrey C. Shepard, the White House photographer, and members of the press, met in the Cabinet Room of the White House from 11:54 am to 12:18 pm.
- 666-003 11:54 AM · 2 min — Stephen B. Bull and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:54 am and 12:23 pm.
- 666-004 11:54 AM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:54 am and 12:23 pm.
- 666-005 11:54 AM · 1 min — Manolo Sanchez and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:54 am and 12:23 pm.
- 090-004 12:18 PM — Unknown person(s) met in the Cabinet Room of the White House on an unknown date, sometime between 12:18 pm on February 7, 1972 and 11:22 am on February 9, 1972.
Cite this conversation
Conversation 020-046, February 7, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/020-046 (accessed September 18, 2026).