In this meeting, President Nixon consulted with Secretary of State William P. Rogers regarding Middle East diplomacy, emphasizing his desire to push for a peace settlement before the upcoming election season and expressing frustration with the influence of Israeli interests. Following this, the President met with Henry Kissinger and Ronald Ziegler to coordinate the upcoming public announcement of a SALT agreement with the Soviet Union. Nixon and Kissinger strategically aligned on how to brief Congressional leaders while minimizing specific disclosures about negotiating history, MIRVs, and treaty structures to maintain control over the process.
On May 20, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, William P. Rogers, Henry A. Kissinger, Ronald L. Ziegler, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 9:49 am to 10:03 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 502-007 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding AidConversation No. 502-7
Date: May 20, 1971
Time: 9:49 am - 10:03 am
Location: Oval Office
The President met with William P. Rogers; the conversation was in progress when the recording
began.
**********************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 05/30/2019.
Segment will remain closed.]
[Personal Returnable]
[502-007-w001]
[Duration: 10s]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
**********************************************************************
**********************************************************************
[Previous National Security (B) withdrawal reviewed under MDR guidelines case number
LPRN-T-MDR-2014-025. Segment declassified on 04/24/2019. Archivist: DR]
[National Security]
[502-007-w002]
[Duration: 4m 53s]
Mideast
-The President's notes
-The President's views on Israelis
-The President's notes
-Joseph J. Sisco
-Power of attorney
-William P. Rogers's diplomacy
-Settlement of Mideast crisis
-Summer
-US elections
-John N. Mitchell
-Max M. Fisher
-Jews
-Los Angeles
-Robert H. Finch
-Golda Meir
-Peace
-Attempts to separate the President from initiative
-Israeli position
-William P. Rogers
-John J. Sisco
-The President
-Handling of the Mideast negotiations
-National Security Council [NSC]
-Henry A. Kissinger
-Jewish
-Under pressure from Israelis
-Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
-William P. Rogers’s opinion
-The President’s comment vis-à-vis US military and Israelis
-The President’s memorandum
-History of US––Israeli relations
-1956 Suez crisis
-The President’s assessment
-Jews
-British
-French
-Arabs
-Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR]
-Arabs––Jews
-The President’s preference
-Arab and Jewish population sizes
-Jews
-The President’s assessment
-Israel’s actions moving into other territories [?]
-John J. Sisco
-Territory
-West Bank
-The President’s belief on Israeli territorial issues
-Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR], Polish, Germans
-Comparison to Israel
-The President's instructions
-William P. Rogers
-Potential meeting with Clark MacGregor and Melvin R. Laird
**********************************************************************
Rogers left and Henry A. Kissinger and Ronald L. Ziegler entered at 9:54 am.
President's schedule
Strategic Arms Limitation Talks [SALT] agreement announcement
-President's statement at 12:00 noon
-Foreign policy
-Possibility of leaks
Ziegler left at 9:55 am.
-Rogers
-President's meeting with Congressional leaders
-Treaties
-Unknown person's position
-Soviet position on offensive weapons
-Public statements
-Kissinger's advice
-Antiballistic Missile [ABM]
-President's talking points with Congressional leaders
-Anatoliy F. Dobrynin
-Soviet Party Congress
-Kissinger's advice
-US strategy in dealing with Soviets
-Multiple Independently Targetable Reentry Vehicle [MIRV]
-Effect on negotiations
-Future possibilities
-Gerard C. Smith
-US August 4 proposal
-President's talking points with Congressional leaders
-MIRV
-Treaties
-Negotiations
-George P. Shultz's meeting with Kissinger
-Shultz's views on the President and SALT negotiations
-Donald H. Rumsfeld
-President's talking points with Congressional leaders
-Objectives
-Negotiations
-Effect on Europeans
-Rogers
-Smith
Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 9:55 am.
-Rose Mary Woods’ location
-Melvin R. Laird
-Adm. Thomas H. Moorer
-Woods
Bull left at an unknown time before 10:03 am.
Kissinger left at 10:03 am.This transcript was generated automatically by AI and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Do not cite this transcript as authoritative. Consult the Finding Aid above for verified information.