Conversation: 498-011
Prev: 498-010 Next: 498-012Start Date: Thursday, May 13, 1971 6:15 PM
End Date: Thursday, May 13, 1971 7:35 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Kissinger, Henry A.; Bull, Stephen B.; Ehrlichman, John D.; Peterson, Peter G.; Roche, James M.Recording Device: Oval Office
Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 03:12:54
Full Tape Conversation End Time: 04:26:45
NARA Description:
On May 13, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, Henry A. Kissinger, Stephen B. Bull, John D. Ehrlichman, Peter G. Peterson, and James M. Roche met in the Oval Office of the White House from 2:15 pm to 3:35 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 498-011 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 498-11
Date: May 13, 1971
Time: 2:15 pm - 3:35 pm
Location: Oval Office
The President met with Henry A. Kissinger
Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty [SALT] negotiations
-Kissinger's previous conversation with Anatoliy F. Dobrynin
-Forthcoming announcement
-Wording
-Politburo
-Potential problems
-Dobrynin
-US options
-Possible changes
-Kissinger view
-Timing
-Gerard C. Smith
-Wording
-Antiballistic Missle [ABM] and Strategic Arms reductions
-The President’s view
-Public pronouncements
-Private Messages
-William P. Rogers
-Smith, Rogers
-Soviet acceptance
-Protocol
-Wording
-Kissinger's conversation with Dobrynin
34
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
-Timing
-Scope of agreement
-Potential future problems
-Kissinger’s view
-Smith's negotiations
Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 2:15 pm Conv. No. 498-11 (cont.)
The President's Schedule
-Forthcoming meeting
Bull Left at an unknown time before 2:34 pm
SALT negotiations
-Forthcoming Announcement
-Wording
-Timing
-Possible effect
-People's Republic of China [PRC]
-Wording
-Dobrynin
John D. Ehrlichman, Peter G. Peterson, and James M. Roche entered at 2:34 pm
Greetings
Kissinger left at 2:34 pm
Dumping[?]
-Status
A camera
-Origin
American cars
[Unintelligible]
Agenda
-Safety
-Environment
-Peterson
35
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
Environment and safety
-President’s views
-Use in a speech
-Ehrlichman
-Proponents
-Motives
-Public statements Conv. No. 498-11 (cont.)
-Proponents
-Concerns over motives
-Administration policy
-House and Senate
-Programs
-Effect on U.S. business
-Automobile industry
-European and Japanese competition
-Ehrlichman, William D. Ruckelshaus
Safety
-Proponents
-Seat belt rules
-Possible effect
-Administration policy
-Air bags
-Tests
-Administration policy
Automobile industry
-Roche’s role
-General Motors
-Perception
-White House views
-Ehrlichman
-Peter M. Flanigan
-Cooperation
-Position
-Anti-pollution efforts
-Safety efforts
-US record
-Legislation in Florida
-Enforcement of drunk driving laws
-Improper maintenance
36
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
-Inspections
-Air bags
-Durability and reliability
-Critics
-Extremity
-Congress
-Forthcoming White House action
-Ehrlichman Conv. No. 498-11 (cont.)
-Goals
-Effects
-Jobs
-Germany and Japan
-Air bags
Government regulations
-1973 safety standards
-Passive restraints seat belts
-Air bags
-Seat belts
-Air bags
-Current review at the White House
-Department of Transportation [DOT]
-A letter
-An unnamed man
-John A. Volpe's position
-Air bags
-White House handling
-Reconsideration process
-Manufacturers
-June 14, 1971 deadline
-The President's response
-Economic impact
-A California lawyer for General Motors [GM]
-Congress
-Air quality
-Hearings
-Ruckelshaus
-Legislation
-Public opinion
-Economic impact
-White House position
-Air bags, seat belts, and shoulder harnesses
37
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
-Use by public
Safety
-US cars
-Drivers
-Germans
-Accident rate
-Germany Conv. No. 498-11 (cont.)
-England
-Japan
-US
-Compared with losses in Vietnam
-Number of cars
-The President's driving
-California
-Freeways
Auto industry
-White House contacts
-Flanigan
-Ehrlichman
-Meeting with Henry Ford II
-Roche's May 13 meeting with Ehrlichman
-Japan
-Possible White House Action
-Flanigan, John B. Connally
-Position
-Roche's trip to Japan
-Capacity
-Exports
-Future
-People’s Republic of China [PRC], Southeast Asia, Indonesia, Thailand
-The President’s view
-US
-Trade barriers
-Korea
-Automobile industry development
-Latin America
-Automobile industry development
-PRC
US and Japanese economic relations
38
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
-Currency valuation
-Investment restrictions
-Import restrictions
-Future
-Peterson’s view
-US strategy
-Japanese steel
-Use in automobiles Conv. No. 498-11 (cont.)
-Possible US import restrictions
-Possible Japanese response
-US auto exports
-Restrictions in Japan
-Taxes
-Cadillac cost
-Possible future actions
-GM and Isuzu Cooperation
-Restrictions in Japan
-Shared Technology
-Environment
-Safety
-Car Design
-GM
-Japanese expectations
-Kiichi Miyazawa
-Isuzu
US economy
-Goals
-Concepts
-Business Council
-Areas of concentration
-Competitiveness
-Technology
-Areas of concentration
-Energy, water, medicine
-Possible action by government
-Research and development
-Private sector
-Space program
-Breeder reactor
-A previous cabinet briefing
-Costs
39
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
-Results
-Desalinization
-Costs
-A previous briefing
-Department of Interior saline water program
-Dr. Edward E. David, Jr.
-Compared with programs in Germany, England, Union of Soviet
Socialist Republics [USSR], Japan Conv. No. 498-11 (cont.)
-Possible private sector cooperation with government
-Government subsidies
-Domestic council
-Supersonic transport [SST] comparison
-USSR, PRC
-Japan, Great Britain, West Germany, Netherlands, and Belgium
-High technology
-Private sector action
-Compared to Department of Interior, Department of Agriculture
-SST comparison
-Water desalinization programs
-Health programs
-X-rays
-Vaccinations
-Possible studies
-Business, scientists, Harvard, Stanford
-Japan, USSR, Great Britain, Germany, France
[Unintelligible]
-Future status
-Economic standing
-The President's forthcoming meeting regarding North Atlantic Treaty
Organization [NATO]
-Compared with US economic status in 1945
-Germany, Japan
-Great Britain, Italy, France
-Compared with Europe in 1970's
-The President’s view
-Trade
-Government subsidies
-Productivity, labor costs
-Attitude of government
-Attitude of public
40
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
-Compared with Great Britain
-Labor costs
-Edward R.G. Heath
-British economy
-Effect of labor costs
-Unions
Ehrlichman left at 3:18 pm Conv. No. 498-11 (cont.)
-Conference Board
-[first name unintelligible] Sheppard [sp?]
-Sandy Treadwell[?]
-A study commission
-Business Council
-Possible study
-Staff capability
-Members
-A possible study
-Schools of business
-University of Chicago, Massachusetts Institute of Technology [MIT],
Stanford University, University of Southern California [USC]
-A previous study[?]
-Scientists
-Dr. Charles Salin[?]
-Public opinion
-Peterson's experience on White House Conference on Youth
-Colorado
-Zero growth
-Social aspect
-Technology
-Jobs
-Service economy
-Future
-Compared with Great Britain
-Needs
-Basic industries
-An unnamed French writer
-Japan
-Automobiles
-US
-Chemicals
-Services
41
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
-Other countries
-Steel
-Textiles
-Results
-George P. Shultz
-Results for US
-Peace
-Prospects Conv. No. 498-11 (cont.)
-Biblical translation
-Agriculture
-US position
-Farmers
-Steel, auto, chemical, radio, and camera manufacturing
-Japanese competition
-Panasonic televisions
-Radio Shack[?]
-Motion picture industry
-The President's knowledge
-Future
-British and French films
-SST
-Possible competition from USSR, France
-Results
-Public opinion
-Older Americans compare to younger Americans
-Growth
-Redistribution
-Youth
-Great Depression
-Wendell Willkie campaign in 1940
-New Deal policies
-Experience in communist societies
-USSR, Hungary, Romania, and Poland
-Possible campaign
-Exploration of the unknown
-Individual creativity
-Benefits
-Retirement
-Creativity
-Space program
-Future
-Purpose
42
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
-Possible campaign
-Focus
-Building
-Individual growth
-Compared with California redwoods
-Youth
-Views on redistribution and growth
-Peterson's experience Conv. No. 498-11 (cont.)
-Contradiction of public service and materialism
-Influence of press
-Influence of educational system
-Influence of television
-Influence of educational system
-Influence of churches
-Fundamentalists
-Orthodox Jews
-Influence of teachers
-Influence of churches
-Influence of television
-Reading habits
Farewells
Lee Sprague
-Army Corps of Engineers
-Possible meeting with the President
Farewells
Peterson and Roche left at 3:35 pm