President Nixon and Henry Kissinger met to discuss the administration's foreign policy challenges, particularly the United Nations vote to expel Taiwan and the potential for a new geopolitical dynamic involving the People's Republic of China and the USSR. They reviewed the political impact of the UN loss, dismissing it as an unavoidable setback while framing it as a catalyst for future organizational reform. Additionally, the participants touched upon regional tensions, specifically criticizing Indian demands regarding Pakistan, and coordinated the scheduling of an upcoming meeting with Yugoslav President Josip Broz Tito.
On October 28, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, Ronald L. Ziegler, unknown person(s), Henry A. Kissinger, and Rose Mary Woods met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:47 pm to 1:07 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 605-011 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding AidConversation No. 605-11
Date: October 28, 1971
Time: 12:47 pm - 1:07 pm
Location: Oval Office
The President met with Ronald L. Ziegler.
Responses for the press
-The President's meeting with Josip Broz Tito
An unknown person entered at an unknown time before 12:47 pm.
Henry A. Kissinger's schedule
The unknown person left at an unknown time before 1:07 pm.
Responses for press
-The President's previous meeting with Tito
-Tito
-South Asia
-Middle East
-Europe
-Arms control
-Tito’s travels
-Indira Gandhi
-Agha Muhommad Yahya Khan
-Anwar el-Sadat
-Leonid I. Brezhnev
-Tito
-The President’s view
Kissinger entered and Ziegler left at 12:52 pm.
17
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
The President's previous meeting with Tito
-Tito
-The President’s view
-The President's handling
-Kissinger’s view
-Schedule
-Forthcoming meeting
US foreign relations
-United Nations [UN] vote to expel Taiwan
-William P. Rogers
-Foreign Relations committee
-Ziegler
-Ronald W. Reagan
-Vice President Spiro T. Agnew
-William F. Buckley
-Amchitka decision
-UN
-Rogers
-View
-Tito
-“Today” show
-John Sherman Cooper and Frank F. Church
-People's Republic of China [PRC]
-Kissinger's visit
-The President's previous meeting with Tito
-UN vote to expel Taiwan
-PRC visit
-Vernon A. Walters
-Forthcoming meeting
-Chou En-Lai
-Possible UN Ambassador
-Effect on Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR]
-PRC
-Taiwan
-U Thant
-George Meany's comment
-Foreign Relations committee
-Rogers
-Vote on Taiwan's expulsion
-Mrs. Gandhi
18
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 605-11 (cont.)
-The President's forthcoming meeting with Tito
-Indians
-US policy
-Pakistan
-Sheik Mujibar Rahman
-Mrs. Gandhi
-US aid
**************************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4
[National Security]
[Duration: 30s ]
INDIA-PAKISTAN
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4
**************************************************************************
Rose Mary Woods entered and Kissinger left at 12:59 pm.
**********************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 4m 8s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5
**********************************************************************
Woods left at 1:07 pm.
19
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)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.