Nixon White House Tapes ›Tape 466 › Conversation 466-007

Nixon, Smith & Haig on Strategic Arms Limitation Talks and SALT

Thursday, March 11, 1971 · 12:22 PM–12:24 PM ET · Oval Office ·4 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Smith, Gerard C.;  Haig, Alexander M., Jr.;  White House photographerConversation466-007 onTape 466 (tape position 03:04:30–03:09:00)StartThursday, March 11, 1971 at 12:22 PMEndThursday, March 11, 1971 at 12:24 PMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 466-007 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon met with Gerard C. Smith and General Alexander M. Haig, Jr. to facilitate a photo opportunity during the signing of a private letter containing instructions for the U.S. ambassador. The discussion touched upon the administration's public diplomatic position and the prospects for the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT). Nixon expressed skepticism regarding immediate progress, suggesting that negotiations would likely remain stalled until the conclusion of the Soviet Party Congress.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Hi, Terry.
How are you?
Hi.
Actually, it's...
I think what we'll do is to record... Actually, what we'll do is...
I'm signing a letter to him.
I'll just sign the letter.
I'll just sign it.
I'll put my hand over it.
This is a private letter which we're setting forth just with a general discussion of our positions.
The public position is one that Ambassador Wilbur and I understand the end.
Yes, sir.
We've made the right decision.
We've made the right decision and we'll state our position.
But this is a letter setting forth some of the matters, just setting forth general instructions for the ambassador to the delegation.
Our position is going to be public.
No, this is not for public to understand.
Oh, man.
No, I don't think so.
Really?
You have to think about it all the time.
You get one, isn't it?
You get one.
And if you don't, I'll tell you.
If you don't, I'll tell you.
If you don't, I'll tell you.
I'll tell you.
I don't know.
My guess is you're not going to get anything out of it.
That's my guess.
I think there should have a few in that way.
Party Congresses, they don't know what to have to do.
But after that, they might then want to do a little business in the city.
Mayor, I take it that you might use the directives?
Absolutely, I haven't asked.
Well, I want you to because, you see, we'll be talking to people around this town, I suppose, and we want to know what the story is.
All right.
Hey, thanks.
Never, never know.
You've got something like that for this time.
Yeah, really.
It's going to make a great time.
Thank you.

NARA Description

On March 11, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, Gerard C. Smith, Alexander M. Haig, Jr., and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:22 pm to 12:24 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 466-007 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 466-7

Date: March 11, 1971
Time: 12:22 pm - 12:24 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Gerard C. Smith and General Alexander M. Haig, Jr.; the White House
photographer was present during the conversation
     Greetings

     Photograph
          -Signing ceremony

     President’s letter
          -Contents
                -US public position
                -Arrival ceremony in Vienna
                -Instructions for US ambassador

     [Unintelligible]

     [General conversation]

     Strategic Arms Limitation Talks [SALT]
           -Prospects
                -President’s view
                -Effect of forthcoming Party congress in Soviet Union

Smith and Haig left at 12:24 pm

Also recorded on March 11, 1971

  • 466-006 11:04 AM · 33 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Alexander P. Butterfield, John B. Connally, unknown person(s), and Manolo Sanchez met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:04 am and 12:19 pm.
  • 466-003 11:12 AM · 4 sec — unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at 11:12 am.
  • 466-004 11:12 AM · 34 min — President Richard M. Nixon, unknown person(s), John W. Byrnes, John D. Ehrlichman, Clark MacGregor, Peter M. Flanigan, Bryce N. Harlow, and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:12 am to 11:42 am.
  • 466-005 11:42 AM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:42 am and 11:47 am.
  • 466-008 12:24 PM · 15 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:24 pm to 12:26 pm.
  • 466-009 12:26 PM · 19 min — President Richard M. Nixon, John B. Connally, and George P. Shultz met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:26 pm to 12:44 pm.
  • 466-010 12:44 PM · 46 sec — President Richard M. Nixon, Alexander P. Butterfield, and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:44 pm and 12:46 pm.
  • 466-011 12:46 PM · 40 sec — unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:46 pm and 12:48 pm.

All 25 conversations from March 11, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 466-007, March 11, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/466-007 (accessed September 18, 2026).