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Conversation: 502-011

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Start Date: 20-May-1971 11:18 AM

End Date: 20-May-1971 11:59 AM

Participants:

Nixon, Richard M. (President)Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")Butterfield, Alexander P.Kissinger, Henry A.Bull, Stephen B.Ford, Gerald R.Woods, Rose MaryGoode, Mark I.

Recording Device: Oval Office

Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 01:01:54

Full Tape Conversation End Time: 01:30:40

502a.mp3

502b.mp3

NARA Description:

On May 20, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Alexander P. Butterfield, Henry A. Kissinger, Stephen B. Bull, Gerald R. Ford, Rose Mary Woods, and Mark I. Goode met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:18 am to 11:59 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 502-011 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid:

Conversation No. 502-11

Date: May 20, 1971
Time: 11:18 am - 11:59 am
Location: Oval Office

The President met with H.R. (“Bob”) Haldeman.

     Strategic Arms Limitation Talks [SALT] agreement Congressional briefing
                                                11

                           NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                         (rev. 9/08)



     J. William Fulbright
           -Michael J. (“Mike”) Mansfield
                 -Allen J. Ellender
                 -F. Edward Hébert
                 -Staff reaction
                       -Henry A. Kissinger
                 -Effect
           -Cabinet meeting                                         Conv. No. 502-11 (cont.)
                 -Reaction
                 -Undersecretaries
           -White House staff
                 -William L. Safire
           -John B. Connally's reaction
           -Treaty
           -Mansfield reaction
           -Yesterday's Congressional vote
           -William P. Rogers

     Strategic Arms Limitation Talks [SALT] agreement
           -Kissinger
           -Soviet public opinion
           -US public opinion
                 -Soviet and American agreement
           -President's efforts

Alexander P. Butterfield entered at 11:26 am.

     Evening cocktails with President and Mrs. Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon, May 20, 1971
          -Arms Control and Disarmament Agency [ACDA] staff
          -Rogers
          -Melvin R. Laird
          -National Security Council [NSC] members
          -Kissinger
          -Connally
          -Richard S. Schweiker
          -Other guests
          -Tricia Nixon
          -Julie Eisenhower
          -Mrs. Nixon
          -SALT delegation
          -Possible location
                -Truman Balcony
                                               12

                            NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                       Tape Subject Log
                                          (rev. 9/08)



                -Yellow Room
           -Mrs. Nixon
           -Connally
           -Laird
           -NSC members
           -Richard M. Helms
           -John N. Mitchell
           -Refreshments                                            Conv. No. 502-11 (cont.)
           -White House kitchen
           -Estimates of number of guests
           -Balcony
           -White House public rooms

Butterfield left at 11:31 am.

     Press reaction to SALT agreement
           -Questions
           -Headlines
           -Kissinger
           -John A. Scali
           -Kissinger's relations with press
                 -Style of press conferences
           -Gallup poll ratings
                 -Ronald W. Reagan
                 -Spiro T. Agnew
                 -Nelson A. Rockefeller
                 -Reagan and Agnew

     President's schedule
          -Lyndon B. Johnson Library dedication, May 22, 1971
                 -Departure time
                 -Length of flight
          -Upcoming visit of Malik Faisal ibn Abd al-Aziz al-Saud, King of Saudi Arabia
                 -Possible dinner
                 -Kennedy dinner
                      -Attendees
                 -Possible daytime event
                      -Arrival of Faisal and delegation
                                                13

                              NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                       Tape Subject Log
                                          (rev. 9/08)



                            -Morning meetings
                            -Review of troops
                            -Credentials
                 -Press conference on May 28th
                 -Options

Kissinger entered at 11:34 am.
                                                                     Conv. No. 502-11 (cont.)
     Congress and SALT agreement
         -Gerard C. Smith
               -Performance at Congressional leader's meeting
         -Smith's and Kissinger's views on Congressional consultations regarding SALT
         -Smith's schedule
         -Meeting with Congressional leaders
         -Unknown person
         -President's meeting with Congressional leaders
               -Kissinger's attendance
               -Allen J. Ellender
               -J. William Fulbright
               -Michael J. (“Mike”) Mansfield
               -John G. Tower
                     -Antiballistic Missile [ABM] efforts
         -Kissinger's press briefing, May 20, 1971
               -Victor Riesel [?]
                     -United Press International [UP]
               -Television people
                     -Unknown person
               -Press

     SALT agreement announcement, May 20, 1971
         -Text of President's statement
         -Kissinger's views

Kissinger left at 11:38 am.

           -Pointers for President's delivery
                -Haldeman's views
                -Press
                -John D. Ehrlichman's views
           -Importance of announcement
           -Live television
                                                14

                           NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                       Tape Subject Log
                                          (rev. 9/08)



Butterfield entered at 11:40 am.

     SALT announcement, May 20, 1971
         -President's statement for press
               -Change of wording
               -Rose Mary Woods
         -Butterfield's views
                                                                    Conv. No. 502-11 (cont.)
     Secretaries

     White House internal operations
          -President's shower
                -Hot water supply
                -Repairs
                      -Rex W. Scouten
                -Lyndon B. Johnson
                -Hot water supply
          -White House plumbing
          -Water

Butterfield left and Stephen B. Bull entered at 11:43 am.

     SALT agreement announcement, May 20, 1971
         -Location
              -Press room
         -Equipment
              -Lights
              -Podium

Bull left at an unknown time before 11:47 am.

[The President talked with Gerald R. Ford between 11:50 am and 11:53 am]

[See Conversation No. 3-80]

[Conversation No. 502-11A]

Rose Mary Woods entered at 11:51 am.

[End of telephone conversation]
                                                15

                          NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                         (rev. 9/08)



     SALT agreement announcement [?]
         -Press
              -Ronald L. Ziegler

Woods left at 11:54 am.

Bull entered at an unknown time after 11:54 am.
                                                                   Conv. No. 502-11 (cont.)
     President's meeting with Mark I. Goode

Bull left at an unknown time before 11:57 am.

Goode entered at 11:57 am.

     SALT agreement announcement, May 20, 1971
         -Ziegler
         -White House Communications
              -Announcement
         -Cameras
         -Unknown person
         -Time till President goes before cameras

Goode left and Kissinger entered at 11:58 am.

     Kissinger's briefing of press, May 20, 1971
          -Peter Lisagor
          -[Forename unknown] Sheldon
          -Frank Cormier
          -Soviet position
          -Text of President statement announcing SALT agreement
                -Change of wording

The President, Haldeman, and Kissinger left at 11:59 am.