Nixon White House Tapes — Conversation 499-010
Date: Friday, May 14, 1971 at 10:00 AM
Participants: Nixon, Richard M. (President); Kissinger, Henry A.
Recording device: Oval Office
Source: https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/499-010

This transcript was generated automatically by AI (WhisperX) and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Do not cite it as authoritative.

[0:00] I'll tell you what I had in mind.
[0:08] I wonder if they... Our best bet is not to take that this year, how does that sound?
[0:22] It's one that doesn't put a...
[0:26] It of course makes a better announcement for us now.
[0:29] But in terms of the control of the game, it's like giving ourselves a deadline, which we may not be able to fulfill due to what they do.
[0:40] The way it's written now, Mr. President.
[0:43] Well, I mean in the public statement it says this year.
[0:45] No, but we've moved it.
[0:46] It says this year, but it's moved.
[0:49] It now qualifies for different...
[0:53] Yes, it only says we will concentrate this year on working out an agreement, not that we will work out an agreement this year.
[1:04] The public statement now says the two governments have agreed to concentrate this year on working out an agreement, not on working out an agreement.
[1:14] Now, the whole thing is that I think you should...
[1:19] have a talk.
[1:22] I mean, the position of this thing is very important.
[1:34] And I'll figure out a way to do this.
[1:37] But I think that we will now.
[1:41] You'll go ahead at 13 o'clock.
[1:42] I just talked to again.
[1:43] It's all set.
[1:43] Now, Sandy.
[1:44] We'll get the official confirmation on Monday.
[1:45] But he says there's no problem.
[1:48] Well, they better not be.
[1:52] He just has to be... You know, it's a curious thing about them taking those prisoners back.
[1:58] That's a curious little... And the Chinese, you notice, they... Did you notice the Chinese gave them a...
[2:04] Sorry, out of a Chicago paper that the Chinese told them, told the North Vietnamese they couldn't support the total victory or something like that.
[2:13] See, but there's something funny going on.
[2:16] For example, the Russians said...
[2:17] That one was there that was completely anonymity of use.
[2:27] Now, that they never said before that if they were buying a military offensive they couldn't be sending that because why would the Russians want to see?
[2:36] It might be that they're going to make us the peace officer then.
[2:37] So what do we get in terms of the... Something funny is going on because they don't spend four weeks
[2:43] But in the end, that's accepting those prisoners back.
[2:48] It's difficult.
[2:49] Accepting the prisoners, spending a long time.
[2:53] What do we do?
[2:54] Oh, that's a great question.
[2:57] He says, I asked him, do you all agree by the year he said?
[3:01] He said, if you agree by the year, you take an hour and a half.
[3:09] You know, really, I looked around and I thought, what a bunch of farts.
[3:31] You know, most of them.
[3:31] They're only good with patches of the dust behind the bumps.
[3:32] You know, like a rock.
[3:33] No, it's all right, but none of that is as good.
[3:34] You'll be in a separate sort of a bench.
[3:35] And of course, right, we used to be madly in love.
[3:36] But I just thought, that's what it is to me.
[3:37] But nevertheless, we have played our game.
[3:50] And I've just told all of them that they are getting musty, and I'll bring them to the spot.
[3:56] Now that they said they were, I told them to learn.
[3:59] And I'll let both of them learn.
[4:00] They just can't do this on their own.
[4:01] But I'm going to let them learn.
[4:01] I will drive this boat, and there'll be a chance they're going to see.
[4:04] But in the meantime, we've got our position in this, so there's much to be done.