Conversation: 277-018
Prev: 277-017 Next: 277-019Start Date: 15-Sep-1971 2:37 PM
End Date: 15-Sep-1971 3:15 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haig, Alexander M., Jr.; Kissinger, Henry A.;Recording Device: Old Executive Office Building
Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 01:16:27
Full Tape Conversation End Time: 01:50:12
NARA Description:
On September 15, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, Alexander M. Haig, Jr., and Henry A. Kissinger met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 2:37 pm to 3:15 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 277-018 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 277-18
Date: September 15, 1971
Time: 2:37 pm - 3:15 pm
Location: Executive Office Building
20
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
The President talked with Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
[See Conversation No. 9-25]
Henry A. Kissinger entered at 2:38 pm.
[End of telephone conversation]
Press conference, September 16, 1971
-Report on US foreign aid
-Democratic elections
-Statistics
-Number of countries
-Elective processes
-Democratic elections compared to contested elections
-Contested elections
-William R. Tolbert, Jr.
-Liberia
-Elections
-Number of countries
-United Nations [UN]
-US position on membership
-Secretary of State
-People’s Republic of China [PRC]
-Taiwan, Republic of China
-PRC trip
-James B. (“Scotty”) Reston column
-Forthcoming details
-Vietnam
-US relations with PRC
-Vietnam
-US military
-Withdrawal
-Protection of forces
-Demilitarized Zone [DMZ]
-North Vietnamese actions
-Helicopters
-National Security Council [NSC] meeting
-Time
-Arrangements
-Troop withdrawals
21
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 277-18 (cont.)
-Announcement
-Speculation
-Future announcements
-Timing
-Proposed announcement of troop withdrawal
-Forthcoming South Vietnamese Presidential election
-Nguyen Van Thieu
-Negotiations
-Announcement
-Time
-Thieu
-Ambassador Ellsworth F. Bunker
-Forthcoming South Vietnamese Presidential election
-Thieu’s opponents
-US foreign aid
-Contested elections
-Great Britain
-Parliamentary procedures
-Question and answer sessions
-Position of Prime Minister
-Speaker of the House of Commons
Presidential press conferences
-Format
-On the record, no correction
-Organization of conference
Press conference, September 16, 1971
-Statements
-Negotiations
-Kissinger’s role
Vietnam
-Response
-Congress
-US patriotism
-Elections in South Vietnam
-Questions
-Vietnamization
-Republicans
-Attitudes during phased US withdrawal
22
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 277-18 (cont.)
-Opponents
-Support of war
-Current status
-Lack of support
-Chronology
-November 3, 1969 Speech
-Cambodia
-Laos (Lam Son 719)
Amchitka Nuclear nest
-Timing
-Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR] trip announcement
-PRC trip
-USSR
-Timing of nuclear test
-Proximity to time of announcement
-The PRC
-USSR
-Timing of announcement
[Unintelligible]
Vietnam
-Prisoner of war [POW] situation
-Effect on election
-Troop withdrawal
-Timing of action
-Possible questions on negotiations
-Ceasefire
-Military operations
-Perceptions
-Thieu
-POW situation
-US action
-Troop withdrawal
-Possible methods of negotiating
-Deadline
-Time
Foreign affairs
-USSR
-Relations with PRC
23
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 277-18 (cont.)
-Position in Southeast Asia
-Relations
-Negotiations
-Moscow
-Timing of Peking trip
-US alternatives for proposal
-Thieu
-Position
-USSR
-The President’s forthcoming meeting with Andrei A. Gromyko
-Anatoliy F. Dobrynin
-Handling of negotiations
-Reactions to recent developments
-The President’s domestic opponents
-Kissinger’s trip to the PRC
-Peking
-The President’s schedule
Vietnam
-Timing of action
-November
-Withdrawal of troops
-Haig
-Announcement of withdrawal
-Military service draft
-Number of troops
-Time
-Christmas period
-Announcement
-Additional announcements
-Time
-Type of announcement
-Effect of announcement
-Number of troops withdrawn
-The President’s PRC trip
-Troop withdrawal
-The President’s trip to the USSR
-Thieu
-Importance of strength
-Troop withdrawal
-Effect
24
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 277-18 (cont.)
-Election
-Withdrawal
-Timing
-William F. Buckley
-Thieu
-Kissinger’s forthcoming meetings
-US position
-Timing
-Fall 1971
-Thieu
-Deadlines
Kissinger left at 3:15 pm.