Nixon White House Tapes ›Tape 455 › Conversation 455-012

Nixon, Popper & Haig on Cyprus and Archbishop Makarios

Monday, February 22, 1971 · 12:57 PM–1:01 PM ET · Oval Office ·4 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Popper, David H.;  Haig, Alexander M., Jr.;  Parker, David N.;  Price, Raymond K., Jr.;  White House photographerConversation455-012 onTape 455 (tape position 03:38:01–03:42:10)StartMonday, February 22, 1971 at 12:57 PMEndMonday, February 22, 1971 at 1:01 PMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 455-012 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon met with David H. Popper, Alexander M. Haig, Jr., and others to discuss the geopolitical situation in Cyprus, specifically focusing on the leadership of Archbishop Makarios and the fragile stability between Greek and Turkish factions. The participants assessed the potential for regional conflict and the importance of maintaining diplomatic stability in the eastern Mediterranean. The brief meeting concluded with the President presenting gifts to the attendees.

  • Cyprus
  • Archbishop Makarios
  • Foreign Policy
  • Eastern Mediterranean
  • Geopolitical Stability

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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And uh, we are supposed to speak soon?
Yes.
I'd like also, if I may say so, to express his extreme pleasure and gratitude at the courtesy of showing and seeing him during today's celebration.
He's stayed down here, sir, I remember, and he's really effective in a personal sense, and I'm very appreciative of it.
I'm sure he appreciates it, I know I appreciate it.
It will do us good for a long time to come.
So everything, you know, we definitely discussed it.
I remember the time we had the meeting there.
Yeah, well, we were talking a little about it, but I'm sorry.
He's still, look, haven't changed recently.
He's still, I don't know, possibly he's seismic.
And there is a temporary heat of the whole thing.
There's a temporary stability there.
Temporary stability.
That's my opinion.
I think we're going to try to make it last, Mr. President, as long as we have our plate of water in other areas of the eastern Mediterranean.
Someday somebody will have to do something to try and help solve this problem, because someday it will blow up.
But if this is not the day, I would guess, and I would think that the problem on the back burner is the last of your other difficulties.
And you should meditate and sit down a bit.
I think you may then be in a better position to meet whatever happens.
Thank you.
Very much so.
And periodically, every three or four years, it seems to get bigger.
There's no real now, they've got no way to save each other.
They're going to save each other for the rest of their born days, and all their children, and all the rest, aren't they?
I mean, what if it was management problems, that's all.
But you can't manage it just as you can.
A lot of people can't get along.
It's because of the national differences and so forth.
It's still going on.
So they've left it.
And the church is reaching that way.
But they can get along.
They live side by side.
There is a period of peace.
People do get in the habit of settling their problems in other ways than fighting.
And I think the two years that we're fighting are so special.
The two years these people have moved in that direction.
Well, I guess why don't you stand in my bed at the end?
You know, these are very solid, so they're very good.
What should we expect them to be?
They should be the number seven, not the number eight.
Nothing good.
Stability and accuracy and arm support.
You want to be helpful.
You know, you have to have stability.
You can stay with a bad guy.
You know, he has to be messing around, and everyone's doing it.
You have to have stability.
Stability and accuracy and arm support.
You want to be helpful.
You know, you have to have stability.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you very much, Mr. President.
Well, I hope you enjoy your assignment.
Well, it's good to have a hot place.
That's hot.
That's hot.
Thank you very much.

NARA Description

On February 22, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, David H. Popper, Alexander M. Haig, Jr., David N. Parker, Raymond K. Price, Jr., and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:57 pm to 1:01 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 455-012 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 455-12

Date: February 22, 1971
Time: 12:57 pm - 1:01 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with David H. Popper, General Alexander M. Haig, Jr., David N. Parker, and
Raymond K. Price, Jr.; the White House photographer was present at the beginning of the
meeting

     Greetings

     Cyprus
          -Archbishop Mouskos Makarios
                -Visit to United States
          -Situation
                -Stability
                      -Popper’s view
                      -Longevity

               -Context
                     -Greece and Turkey
           -Makarios
               -President’s instructions

     Presentation of gifts by the President

Popper, et al. left at 1:01 pm

Also recorded on February 22, 1971

  • 455-008 12:34 PM · 6 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Harold S. Geneen, Leonard H. Goldenson, Rusell McFall, Patrick E. Haggerty, Samuel E. Wyly, Walter D. Scott, Milledge A. Hart, Frank Stanton, Peter M. Flanigan, James G. Boatner, David N. Parker, Raymond K. Price, Jr., and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:34 pm to 12:40 pm.
  • 455-009 12:41 PM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon, James Udall, Murray M. Chotiner, David N. Parker, Raymond K. Price, Jr., and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:41 pm to 12:45 pm.
  • 455-010 12:46 PM · 5 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Robert L. Kunzig, John B. Rhoads, A. N. Spence, Raymond K. Price, Jr., Cecelia D. Bellinger, David N. Parker, and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:46 pm to 12:49 pm.
  • 455-011 12:50 PM · 6 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Carl W. Haley, Mrs. Carl W. Haley, Rose Mary Woods, David N. Parker, Raymond K. Price, Jr., and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:50 pm to 12:56 pm.
  • 455-013 1:01 PM · 16 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at 1:01 pm.
  • 455-014 1:01 PM · 11 min — President Richard M. Nixon, H. E. Sanders, Mrs. H. E. Sanders, Henry C. Cashen, II, David N. Parker, Raymond K. Price, Jr., and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 1:01 pm to 1:12 pm.
  • 455-015 1:12 PM · 27 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 1:12 pm to 1:13 pm.
  • 455-016 1:13 PM · 20 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Charles Whitehouse, Alexander M. Haig, Jr., Raymond K. Price, Jr., and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 1:13 pm to 1:37 pm.

All 25 conversations from February 22, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 455-012, February 22, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/455-012 (accessed September 18, 2026).