Nixon White House Tapes — Conversation 241-001
Date: Friday, February 2, 1973 at 3:43 PM
Participants: Kissinger, Henry A.; Trend, Burke (Sir); Camp David Operator; Kissinger, Louis; Kissinger, Paul ("Stern")
Recording device: Camp David Hard Wire
Source: https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/241-001

This transcript was generated automatically by AI (WhisperX) and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Do not cite it as authoritative.

[0:00] on the notion that I cannot have the six months of deliberation say we've considered it carefully and here is exactly what they want.
[0:22] But I think you have an idea that we could, for example, put a clause in there that for this end the U.S. and the Soviet Union could be agreed to commission or start studying how to break this about.
[0:26] So long as your creation is clear.
[0:27] I understand.
[0:29] I understand.
[0:32] But if we could now think of how we could do some surface modification together with a clause along the lines of what I think is a rather good idea that holds out a prospect to them that may be good enough.
[0:51] We might.
[0:54] But I can't.
[0:54] They obviously have a strategy, but they also have
[0:57] of having to prove at least that he's legitimate?
[1:15] Yes, he is.
[1:15] And, uh... Explication, sir, could you get me New York WAA 0730?
[1:24] My father's 86th birthday.
[1:25] Today?
[1:25] Yes.
[1:27] My mother and I last year talked about it.
[1:49] Yeah, why?
[1:50] Because they have really made an extraordinary effort.
[1:51] Yeah, yeah.
[1:51] And none of this can say anything.
[1:52] But I thought that all of this thing was really a natural thing.
[1:53] That was my true understanding of it.
[1:59] How are you?
[2:10] Okay.
[2:10] How did you...
[2:11] I don't think you're the most un-prejudiced viewer.
[2:26] Yes, I'm going to Hanoi, beginning of Wednesday.
[2:31] If they want to do something to me, Secret Service is not going to protect me.
[2:45] I have every confidence, however, that they don't have any intention to do anything to me.
[2:54] Hey, this is absolutely fair.
[2:56] Hello, Father.
[2:57] Happy birthday.
[2:57] I hope you had a good birthday.
[3:01] But I can tell you've been getting younger since you were 16 years.
[3:10] At some point it had to stop.
[3:19] That's right.
[3:20] John, you kept going 18 hours a day.
[3:28] I... That was a very good dream.
[3:31] It was a very pleasant weekend.
[3:36] I have some cufflinks and some books in Washington from the inauguration.
[3:41] Do you want me to send them to you?
[3:47] Well, I'll... No, I'll send you some official ones.
[3:55] Okay.
[3:57] I'm at Camp David, and I have to go to dinner in a minute.
[4:01] I just wanted to call.
[4:04] Yes, and there's a dinner for the British Prime Minister, so I have to go to that.
[4:14] Good morning.
[4:15] Good morning.
[4:19] You can call before I go.
[4:20] Good morning.
[4:20] Good morning.
[4:30] Well, if you said the opposite, I would be really astounded.
[4:54] Fine.
[4:54] I think that the strategy that we ought to pursue is to change the proposals which
[5:01] If we can't put in a commission or something, which appears to carry forward, which appears that they were listening to.
[5:27] But you want to do this in particular CSE?
[5:28] Oh, yes.
[5:28] Yes.
[5:28] I want to do this in particular CSE.
[5:31] Well, I am now coming more and more to the view that we should move the summit to October rather than after June.
[5:51] It enforces a longer period for Tokyo today.
[5:52] And can it still be a policy order or not?
[5:53] That's right.
[5:54] I'm sure this technique is right.
[5:55] And if we could be really near here, it would be quiet in this country before we can start to have a showdown.
[6:07] Now, also, would you caution your scientific experts against speaking too frankly to our scientists?
[6:26] Bondi spoke to Albert's scientist friend, who was actually very close to the peace community.
[6:29] Now, as it turned out, my advice to this Albert professor called me to support your position.
[6:33] So it turned out to be very good.
[6:34] I said, do you have a raise?
[6:35] Yes, I'm sorry.
[6:39] As it turned out, it was for the best, because when he called, I was certain he would tell me to impose it at all costs.
[6:52] But he had been told.
[6:53] Well, he wasn't told.
[6:54] He was only told that there was a problem with the nuclear deterrent.
[6:57] And he had been told rather cleverly that it was important for you to stay in, in order to keep some edge over the treatment, and since he's wearing a deterrent, that made very good sense to him.
[7:07] But what did he say?
[7:10] He didn't say what it was that you were considering.
[7:30] I don't know the word at all.
[7:31] I don't know what that means.
[7:32] It's the radical communication.
[7:32] I don't think it anyway.
[7:33] We got caught in an internal.
[7:39] I can't tolerate that.
[8:01] I can't accept that.
[8:07] But I've settled that.
[8:09] But I think the President is right to call to bring in some of the outside agents.
[8:31] And we have to go on.
[8:32] What we will do, and we'll get this done in a day or two, is that I will have to put this under control by Monday.
[8:35] Every new cabinet member gets assistance.
[8:35] It's idiotic because the President is going to pass on to
[8:37] But if you could get some systematic thinking done.
[9:03] We have got too many private groups that are really very thoughtful.
[9:04] Why don't you come?
[9:05] Can you come for this?
[9:05] You can bring him along.
[9:06] I think we should have whoever you want, but no more than one other person on this, on this nuclear business.
[9:29] I must give a reply to the Soviets.
[9:31] I intend to bring whoever you want on the NATO and by doing so, I am fine.
[9:36] I will have one or two people working on it at the same time.
[9:45] But I'm coming to this hotel.
[9:46] I will take, I cannot do it myself, but I will take a person and I will reveal it myself.
[9:51] That's what I mean.
[9:52] You will take charge.
[9:53] I will take charge.
[9:54] But if I hear that, then if I say, if I can say that to them, then it is much easier for me to say that I'm still in danger.
[9:58] Oh, no, no.
[10:01] I will take charge of it.
[10:02] And we can hide this and be all sick and all that.
[10:03] Oh, yes.
[10:13] And I will have to do it, but I cannot.
[10:16] I'll be back.