Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 251 › Conversation 251-045

Nixon & Haig on Prisoners of War and Diplomatic Negotiations

Thursday, April 29, 1971 · 6:37 PM–7:27 PM ET · Old Executive Office Building · 17 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Haig, Alexander M., Jr.Conversation251-045 on Tape 251 (tape position 03:06:45–03:08:12)StartThursday, April 29, 1971 at 6:37 PMEndThursday, April 29, 1971 at 7:27 PMRecording deviceOld Executive Office BuildingSourceNixon Library record for 251-045 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Alexander Haig confer regarding the sensitive diplomatic channels utilized for the release of prisoners of war (POWs). The discussion focuses on clarifying the administration's stance on the involvement of third-party nations and outside organizations in facilitating these negotiations. Nixon emphasizes the importance of maintaining direct control over these interactions to ensure that no unauthorized assurances are conveyed to external parties.

Audio

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Transcript (AI-generated)

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Yeah.
Thank you for sending these prisoners, but I never offered you the sense that we'd suggest that another nation or other organizations could do it.
Is that it?
Sure.

NARA Description

On April 29, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 6:37 pm and 7:27 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 251-045 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 251-45

Date: April 29, 1971
Time: Unknown between 6:37 pm and 7:27 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

General Alexander M. Haig, Jr. talked with the President

     Prisoners of War [POWs]
          -Intermediaries

Also recorded on April 29, 1971

  • 042-082 6:32 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. talked on the telephone from 6:32 pm to 6:37 pm.
  • 251-040 6:32 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 6:32 pm to 6:37 pm.
  • 251-041 6:37 PM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 6:37 pm and 7:27 pm.
  • 251-042 6:37 PM · 36 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 6:37 pm and 7:27 pm.
  • 251-043 6:37 PM · 46 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 6:37 pm and 7:27 pm.
  • 251-044 6:37 PM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 6:37 pm and 7:27 pm.
  • 042-083 7:27 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger talked on the telephone from 7:27 pm to 7:30 pm.
  • 251-046 7:27 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 7:27 pm to 7:30 pm.

All 64 conversations from April 29, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 251-045, April 29, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/251-045 (accessed October 3, 2026).