Conversation: 520-006
Prev: 520-005 Next: 520-007Start Date: 15-Jun-1971 11:02 AM
End Date: 15-Jun-1971 12:34 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Brandt, Willy; Bull, Stephen B.; Sanchez, Manolo; Kissinger, Henry A.; Bahr, Egon; Pauls, Rolf; Ahlers, Conrad; Kusterer, Hermann; Schilling, Wolf-Dietrich; Obst, Harry;Recording Device: Oval Office
Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 01:07:16
Full Tape Conversation End Time: 02:40:53
NARA Description:
On June 15, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, Willy Brandt, Stephen B. Bull, Manolo Sanchez, Henry A. Kissinger, Egon Bahr, Rolf Pauls, Conrad Ahlers, Hermann Kusterer, Wolf-Dietrich Schilling, and Harry Obst met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:02 am to 12:34 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 520-006 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 520-6
Date: June 15, 1971
Time: 11:02 am - 12:34 pm
Location: Oval Office
The President met with Willy Brandt and Stephen B. Bull; members of the press were present at
the beginning of the meeting
Greetings
Seating
Photographic session
Brandt’s trip
-Visit to Yale University
-Jamaican stop
13
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/08)
[Camera noise]
The press left at an unknown time after 11:02 am
Brandt schedule
-Henry A. Kissinger
-Egon Bahr
-State dinner
-Appointments in US
Berlin negotiations
-Soviet Union’s position
-Movement
-US response
-Relation to Brandt
-Berlin ties
-Possibility of surprises
-Berlin talks
-Possibilities
-Displays of Western “willingness”
-Comparison with Four Power talks in 1959
-Comparison with John F. Kennedy
-Soviet military
-Soviet
-Soviet negotiating tactics
Manolo Sanchez entered at an unknown time after 11:02 am
Refreshments
Kissinger and Bahr entered at 11:13 am
Greetings
Sanchez left at an unknown time before 12:32 pm
Previous President-Brandt talk
-Berlin talks
-Department of State role
-Leak problem
14
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/08)
Berlin negotiations
-Chances of Berlin settlement
-1959 Berlin talks
-Kennedy
-Substance
-Soviet movement
-Soviet tactics
-Isolation of Berlin Conv. No. 520-6 (cont.)
-Public versus private stance
-Substance of talks
-Consular offices in West Berlin
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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[National Security]
[Duration: 1m 23s ]
FOREIGN RELATIONS
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
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-Benefits of consular offices
-Scope of talks
-Need for US-Federal Republic of Germany [FRG] cooperation
-Negotiating tactics
-Need for caution
-Bahr relationship with Kissinger and [David] Kenneth Rush
-Soviet tactics
-Desire for contact at highest levels
-Anatoliy F. Dobrynin
-Formulation of solutions
-Strategy
-Future positions
-Ostpolitik
-Role of Berlin
15
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/08)
-Linkage
-Mutual and Balanced Force [MBFR] talks
-Other goals
-US-FRG cooperation
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Conv. No. 520-6 (cont.)
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
[National Security]
[Duration: 13m 30s ]
NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY ORGANIZATION [NATO]
EUROPEAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY [EEC]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
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European affairs
-European evolution
-History
-Role of US
-Contemporary Europe
-Economic strength
-Germany
-France
-Great Britain
-Future
-US “stake” in future
-Fear of European economic unity
-Rationale
-Need for political consultation
-Cooperation of Western Europeans
-Contribution to world stability
-Old politics
-US position in alliance
-Efforts to strengthen Europe
16
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/08)
-Efforts towards British inclusion
-Edward R. G. Heath
-Georges J. R. Pompidou
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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3 Conv. No. 520-6 (cont.)
[National Security]
[Duration: 8m 58s ]
EEC
JAPAN
NATO
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
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Defense spending
-Growing expenditures
-Michael J. (“Mike”) Mansfield Amendment
-Consequences
-Burden-sharing
-MBFR
-Assurances to legislators
-Content
-Alliance systems
-Brandt’s views on MBFR
-Bilateral talks
-US-Soviet Union
-Multilateral talks
-Participants
-United Nations [UN]
-General Assembly
-Fairness of voting
-Efficacy
17
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/08)
-Bilateral US-Soviet negotiations
-MBFR
-Scope
-Initiation
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Conv. No. 520-6 (cont.)
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4
[National Security]
[Duration: 1m 5s ]
MBFR
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4
******************************************************************************
-Brandt visit to Congress
-Schedule
-Assurances to Congress
-Security emphasis
-Military expenditures
-US Senate
-Contributions to defense
-Burden-sharing
-US
-NATO
-US troops in West Germany
-Balance of payments
-Need for Congressional assurances
-Mansfield
-Relative contribution of US and Europe
-Mansfield
-Balance of payments
-Force reductions
-Balance of payments
-John B. Connally
18
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/08)
-Mansfield resolution
-White House efforts
-Balance of payments
-Floating of deutsche mark
-Brandt’s concerns
-Length of action
Conv. No. 520-6 (cont.)
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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5
[National Security]
[Duration: 35s ]
COUNTRY
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5
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-Necessity
-Duration
-Effect on Europe
-Effect on markets
-Rumors
-Speculators
-Effect on “decent people”
-Elimination of crisis atmosphere
-International finance
-Brandt meeting with Connally
-Connally trip to Germany
-Schedule
-Strength of currencies
-Opportunity for leadership
-US and Germany
-Japan
-Other countries
-Attention to balance of payments
-Monetary movements
-Effect on security
19
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/08)
-Rush
-President’s confidence
-Dealing with Brandt
-Need for economic strength and vitality
-Effect on politics
-US role
-World politics
-Role of European nations Conv. No. 520-6 (cont.)
-US role
-Soviet role
-Japanese role
-People’s Republic of China [PRC] role
-US-PRC relations
-Normalization
-UN
-Brandt background
-Soviet Union
-PRC
-PRC Interest
-Soviet Union
-Japan
-Japanese interest
-US “nuclear umbrella”
-PRC
-Soviet Union
-Western Europe interest
-West Germany
-US
-Regions
-Underdeveloped areas
-Middle East
-Africa
-Latin America
-South Asia
-India
-Pakistan
-Five great powers
-Need for Realism
-US-PRC relations
-Future effect
20
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/08)
******************************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 6
[National Security]
[Duration: 3m 2s ]
WORLD AFFAIRS Conv. No. 520-6 (cont.)
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 6
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-World affairs
-Concern for US-Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR] relations
-US position regarding Japan
-German concerns
President and Brandt’s schedule
-Meeting with Rush and German official
-Cabinet Room
Kissinger and Bahr left 12:30 pm
Nuclear arms
-US-PRC relations
-Reason for US moves
-USSR-PRC relations
-US-USSR relations
-Prospects of war involving PRC
-Nuclear arms control deal
-Chinese capabilities
-Future
-Japan
Kissinger, Bahr, Rolf Pauls, Conrad Ahlers, Hermann Kusterer, Wolf-Dietrich Schilling, and
Harry Obst entered at 12:32 pm
President-Brandt discussions
-Success
21
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/08)
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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 7
[National Security]
[Duration: 16s ]
Conv. No. 520-6 (cont.)
INDIA-PAKISTAN
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 7
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India-Pakistan
-US policy
-Refugees
-Conflict
-India
-West Pakistan
-East Pakistan
-Aid to refugees
-Taking sides
-Agha Muhommad Yahya Khan
-Ability
-Difficulties
-Focus on refugees
-Use of refugee issue
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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 8
[National Security]
[Duration: 31s ]
INDIA-PAKISTAN
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 8
22
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/08)
******************************************************************************
-Problems in South Asia
-Poverty
-Strength
-India-Pakistan situation
-Kashmir
-Vice presidential experience Conv. No. 520-6 (cont.)
-Need for cooperation
-Comparison with US-Europe relations
-Germany
-France
-Problems of keeping armed forces
Vietnam
Strategic Arms Limitation Talks [SALT]
-Anti-ballistic missile [ABM] elimination
-Offensive weapons elimination
-Timing
-US-USSR communique
-Weapons not covered
-Negotiations between US-USSR
-Prospects
-Agreement
-Timetable
-Linkage
-SALT progress and Berlin negotiations
-Position in Atlantic alliance
Middle East
The President, Brandt, et al. left at 12:34 pm