President Nixon and Henry Kissinger met to discuss diplomatic strategy, focusing on upcoming meetings with Soviet Foreign Minister Andrei Gromyko and the announcement of a planned presidential summit in the USSR. The conversation covered logistical arrangements for hosting Gromyko, including the use of the Roosevelt Map Room, and the framing of policy positions regarding a European Security Conference. Alexander P. Butterfield briefly joined the meeting to coordinate administrative details and document delivery for the scheduled diplomatic sessions.
On September 29, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, Henry A. Kissinger, and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House from 10:13 am to 10:21 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 580-003 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding AidConversation No. 580-3
Date: September 29, 1971
Time: 10:13 am - 10:21 am
Location: Oval Office
The President met with Henry A. Kissinger.
Greetings
Vietnam
-Prisoner of war [POW] issue
-News coverage of the President's September 28, 1971 speech before the
National League of Families convention
-Columbia Broadcasting System [CBS]
-National Broadcasting Corporation [NBC]
-Edward M. Kennedy
Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR]
-The President's Summit trip announcement
-Written agreement
-Date
-William P. Rogers
-Anatoliy F. Dobrynin
-Kissinger's conversation with Dobrynin
-Andrei A. Gromyko
-Handling of announcement
-Rogers
-Timing of trip
-People’s Republic of China [PRC]
-Dobrynin
-The President’s location
-San Clemente
-Possible action
-Waldorf-Astoria Hotel
-Gromyko
Red folder
-Location of document
The President's schedule
-Meeting with Gromyko
-Number
-Kissinger
-Time
-Kissinger's suggestion
-Location
-Dobrynin
Alexander P. Butterfield entered at 10:19 am.
Folder for Gromyko
-Location
Butterfield left at 10:20 am.
The President's schedule
-Meeting between Gromyko, Kissinger and the President
-Location
-Roosevelt Map Room
-Time
-Meeting between Gromyko and the President
-Schedule
-Individuals in attendance
-Schedule after meeting
-Location
-Automobiles
-Reception
-Time duration of meeting
-Gromyko
-Opening remarks
-European Security Conference
-The President's possible response
-Summit meeting
-John B. Connally
-Pierre-Paul Schweitzer
-Gromyko
-Kissinger
-Time
Kissinger left at 10:21 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 Do not cite this transcript as authoritative.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.