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Conversation: 578-004

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Start Date: 24-Sep-1971 9:52 AM

End Date: 24-Sep-1971 10:29 AM

Participants:

Nixon, Richard M. (President)Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")Connally, John B.Burns, Arthur F.

Recording Device: Oval Office

Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 00:43:19

Full Tape Conversation End Time: 01:21:38

578a.mp3

578b.mp3

NARA Description:

On September 24, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, John B. Connally, and Arthur F. Burns met in the Oval Office of the White House from 9:52 am to 10:29 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 578-004 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid:

Conversation No. 578-4

Date: September 24, 1971
Time: 9:52 am - 10:29 am
Location: Oval Office

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

     President's schedule
          -Forthcoming Florida trip
          -Washington Senators game
                 -President's attendance
                 -San Diego Padres
                       -C. Arnholt Smith
                       -Possible move

John B. Connally and Arthur F. Burns entered and Haldeman left at 9:53 am.

     Reception by the President
                                          9

                     NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                 Tape Subject Log
                                   (rev. 10/06)
                                                                   Conv. No. 578-4 (cont.)


     Pierre-Paul Schweitzer
           -Possible invitation to reception
                -Connally
           -Impact
           -Credentials
                -Travel
                -Meetings with foreign leaders
                -Programs
           -Possible meeting with President
                -Result
                -Usefulness to administration
                       -Intermediary
                       -Initiative
                              -Depreciation of money
                                   -Percentage
                                         -Japan
                -Friend

US international economic policy
     -Reason for meeting between President, Connally and Burns
           -Cabinet members
           -Need for unified answers
                 -Strategy
                 -Europeans' attention
                       -Conflicting position for US
                            -Assistant Secretary, Secretary Maurice H. Stans, David M.
                                  Kennedy
                       -European negotiating strategy compared to US negotiating strategy
     -Negotiations
           -President's, Connally's and Burns's role
                 -United position
           -William P. Rogers
           -Nathaniel Samuels
           -Peter G. Peterson
     -International Monetary Fund [IMF]
           -Possible speech by the President
                 -Conversation between the President and Connally
                       -Preparation
                       -US position
                 -Connally speech
                 -Reception by President
                                  10

               NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                          Tape Subject Log
                            (rev. 10/06)
                                                            Conv. No. 578-4 (cont.)


           -View of Peterson group, Paul A. Volcker group, State Department,
                  Connally, Burns
      -Reception by President
           -Informal remarks
                  -Time length
                  -Questions at Detroit Economic Club
      -Connally speech
      -US position
           -Strategy
                  -Fixed exchange systems
                        -Option for future
           -Connally's speech
                  -Offering of a plan
                  -Discussion
           -Solutions
           -Avoid negativity
-Issues
      -Import surcharge
      -Gold
           -Position of Connally and Burns
-Changing the price of gold
      -Congress's approval
           -Protectionism
                  -Domestic climate of opinion
           -Difficulties
                  -Possible risks
-Import surcharge
      -Possible removal
           -Restrictions
           -Free-floating currency
                  -Transitional period
                  -Advantages for free market
      -Deputy Prime Ministers of economics
      -Group of Ten
           -Revaluation
      -Removal
           -Reciprocal action by Europeans
                  -Transition period
                  -Free floating currency
           -Reactions by foreign countries
                  -Risks
                                   11

               NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                           Tape Subject Log
                             (rev. 10/06)
                                                            Conv. No. 578-4 (cont.)


-Problems
     -Re-alignment
           -Amount
     -Surcharge
     -Changing price of gold
           -Reasons
     -Re-alignment
           -Yielding by individual countries
     -Transitional float
           -Changing price of gold
     -Removal of import surcharge
     -Re-alignment
           -Market determination
           -Country determination
                 -Japanese yen
                 -Canadian dollar
                 -German mark
                 -French franc
     -Transitional period
           -Reactions
                 -Risk involved
                       -Yen compared to the dollar
                            -Percent
                       -Control of float
                            -German mark
           -US position
                 -Changes in administration
     -Import surcharge
           -Removal
     -Free floating currency
     -Capital controls
           -Reactions in foreign market
           -Stopping compared to starting controls
     -European countries
           -Intelligence
                 -Relations with US
                 -Comparison with US
     -US proposal
           -European Finance Ministers' possible reaction
                 -Acceptance of conditions
                 -More conditions
                                    12

                NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                            Tape Subject Log
                              (rev. 10/06)
                                                          Conv. No. 578-4 (cont.)


                        -Quotas
                        -Tariffs
                        -Quotas
                              -Oil import problems
                              -Textiles
                              -Steel
                              -Agricultural commodities
           -European nations
-Gold price
     -William Proxmire's views
           -House of Representatives
                 -Henry S. Reuss
     -Capitol Hill
           -Reservations of price of gold
           -Debates
     -Increase of price
           -Amount of money
                 -Percentage
           -Rewards to producers, speculators
                 -South Africa
                 -Soviet Union
                 -France
     -Official price
           -Date
           -Current price
                 -Charge
                 -Date
                        -Impact
     -Bargaining position
-US interests
     -Price of gold
           -Economic significance
           -Political significance
           -European position
     -Need to de-emphasize
-US position
-Proposed solution
-Rogers
-Stans
     -Burns's role
           -United front
                                            13

                        NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                    Tape Subject Log
                                      (rev. 10/06)
                                                                    Conv. No. 578-4 (cont.)


                    -French
                    -Germany
                    -Japan
                    -Possible conversation with Burns or Connally


**************************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
[National Security]
[Duration: 11s ]


    FOREIGN AFFAIRS


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3

**************************************************************************


    US international policy
         -Germany
               -Relationship with US
                     -Conversations with Burns
         -Europeans
               -Relationship with Japan
               -Henry A. Kissinger
                     -Willy Brandt
                          -Berlin
                     -Japan
                     -Conversation with Earl Of Cromer
                          -US policies toward Britain
                                 -South Africa
                                 -Rhodesia
                                 -Edward R.G. Heath
               -Conversation with Cromer
                     -Jordanian crisis
               -Great Britain's position
                     -Relations with US
                          -Common Market
                                   14

               NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                           Tape Subject Log
                             (rev. 10/06)
                                                            Conv. No. 578-4 (cont.)


-European Common Market
     -Great Britain
          -The President’s comments during 1969 trip to Europe
          -Economic aspect
          -Political future
                -Germany
                -France
                -Italy
          -Political responsibility
          -Position in Common Market
                -United trading unit
                       -Number of people
                -Political issue
     -US position
          -Importance
                -Relationship with Great Britain
                       -Economic and political considerations
                             -France
                                  -Gen. Charles A.J.M. De Gaulle
                                  -Georges J.R. Pompidou
                -Connally's conversation with Kissinger
          -Great Britain
          -France
          -Germany
          -Japanese
          -US position
                -Relationship of politics and economics
          -Time frame for Common Market
                -January 1973
                -France
                -Decision
          -Decision
                -International political considerations
                -US domestic political scene
                       -1972 elections
                             -Cabinet Room conversation
                             -Anti-foreigner attitude
                             -US interests
                             -US deal
                                  -Timing
                                  -Importance
                                    15

                NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                           Tape Subject Log
                             (rev. 10/06)
                                                              Conv. No. 578-4 (cont.)


     -Possible speech by President
           -Connally
           -President's remarks
                 -Reception
                       -Governors' attendance
           -President's knowledge
                 -Connally's knowledge
                 -Possible reactions by foreign economic ministers
                 -US domestic scene
                       -President's effectiveness in comparison to foreign economic
                             scene
                 -IMF
                       -Television coverage
                             -Type of impact
                                   -US domestic issues
     -Connally
     -Burns
     -President's appearance
           -Remarks
-Central Bankers of Group of 10
     -Dinner given by Burns
     -Private dinner
           -Burns's home
                 -Unknown person
     -Meetings with Burns
-Previous Cabinet meeting
     -Time factor
           -David N. Packard
           -World governed by reason
                 -Emotions
     -Foreign countries
           -Interests
           -Trade
           -Business pressures
           -Political problems
-Central Bankers' analysis
     -Recession
     -Japan
           -Recession
     -Germany
           -Recession
                                              16

                             NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. 10/06)
                                                                  Conv. No. 578-4 (cont.)


           -Recession
                 -Inflation
           -International recession
                 -US role
           -Europe and Japan
                 -Inflation
                       -Comparison to US
           -US anti-inflation policy
                 -Type
                       -Comparison to other countries
                             -Report to President
                                  -Quadriad meeting
           -Report from Burns to President

     Connally's schedule
         -J. William Fulbright

     John Foster Dulles

Connally left at 10:27 am.

     Burns's schedule
          -White House dinner for Japanese
                -Haldeman's conversation with Burns
                -Rogers
                -Burns's attendance
                -Invitations
                      -State Department
                      -Japanese
                -Breakfast meetings
                      -Japanese

Burns left at 10:29 am.