Conversation 615-017

TapeTape 615StartFriday, November 5, 1971 at 11:09 AMEndFriday, November 5, 1971 at 11:13 AMTape start time03:01:54Tape end time03:06:49ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Rogers, William P.Recording deviceOval Office

On November 5, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and William P. Rogers met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:09 am and 11:13 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 615-017 of the White House Tapes.

Conversation No. 615-017

Date: November 5, 1971
Time: Unknown after 11:09 am until 11:13 am
Location: Oval Office

The President met with William P. Rogers.

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[Previous National Security (B) withdrawal reviewed under MDR guidelines case number
LPRN-T-MDR-2012-001. Segment declassified on 03/19/2015. Archivist: DR]
[National Security]
[615-017-w001]
[Duration: 3m 38s]

     The President's forthcoming meeting with Indira Gandhi
          -India–Pakistan relations
                -Agha Muhammad Yahya Khan
                -Mujibur Rahman
          -William P. Rogers's conversation with Indira Gandhi

An unknown person entered at an unknown time after 11:09 am.

     The President’s schedule

The unknown person left at an unknown time before 11:13 am.

     William P. Rogers’s conversation with Indira Gandhi

            -India–Pakistan relations
                  -Administration’s desire to understand issues
                  -Arms issues

An unknown man entered at an unknown time after 11:09 am.

     The President’s schedule

The unknown man left at an unknown time before 11:13 am.

     William P. Rogers's conversation with Indira Gandhi
           -India–Pakistan relations
                 -US military aid to Pakistan
                 -Agha Muhammad Yahya Khan's agreements
                 -Possible war
                 -Possible mutual withdrawal of forces
                      -Indian reciprocation
                      -Triloki Nath Kaul's views
                 -Need for political solution
                 -Possible topics for the President to discuss
                 -Possible war
                      -US aid

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     The President's forthcoming conversation with Gandhi

Ronald L. Ziegler and Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 11:09 am.

     Gandhi's forthcoming meeting with Cabinet
         -Reception for Gandhi

The President, Rogers, et al., left at 11:13 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.

So I wish that the vengeance is arriving.
And I've got to be, of course, very cordial, but very firm, because I got the impression that she just wants to, you know, as they say, recalcitrant as hell.
And these fighters say, we don't want Pakistan.
The poem is that Yahya must go.
And they insist that the ball's got to be released, and so forth and so on.
I want to be sure that your line and mine is the same.
You take a firm line.
Absolutely.
I said that you had some follow-up conversations you had.
And I said now, which you said, yes, I did.
It was very good.
You said that I didn't have time to say that you wanted deep understanding.
that we may not fully understand your problems.
We want to attempt to, and I'm sure you want to understand what we can do with the problems we have.
And then I said, we have taken all the complaints or the matters that you raised with the appointment of suicide.
She knows that.
I said, you raised the point about armed shipments.
And I said, we understood the problem it created for us.
This practical matter didn't have any effect, very small.
But I said, now the President is willing to stop those shipments.
So that's the other way.
Secondly, you said that the
that we shouldn't equate India and Pakistan.
And I said, we accept your judgment.
And I said, the trouble that exists in your country is because of the difficulty in Pakistan.
So we ought to equate it.
And I said, President Nixon himself undertook to get Yahya to take unilateral action.
So Yahya has said now that he will unilaterally withdraw your troops.
We would hope that you would respond in kind.
How you do that is up to you, obviously, but we would hope that you would do that to reduce tensions.
Three, you say that the military solution is not the solution.
That's the only step.
The important thing is the political solution.
We agree with that.
And I said, we agree that there has to be a political solution.
We've been telling Yahya it's got to be a political solution.
He's prepared to do the things the President told you he's prepared to do.
And I said, that's because we've asked him to.
No, I said, so we've done the things you want.
We think we're helping the president is searching for ways to bring about peace in the world.
This is the most dangerous area we have, and we just want you to understand our position.
We agree with almost everything you've said, and it was a very good discussion, I think.
I would ask her to withdraw if she does, or to have them discuss with the PACS if they can, how to work it out.
Carl says, well, it wouldn't be fair.
We'll try to work out a system that would be fair.
In other words, consider that.
And keep in mind that we are doing everything we can to help as they suggest.
As a matter of fact, at the end of the meeting, a couple of other people said that they think now that the understanding is much better between our two governments.
Does she know that it's going to be tough today on getting aid and so forth?
I told her.
I told her that I'd love to... Let's go out and say hello to her.
I just have an idea.
Tell her that I will direct the catapult.
Just, I'm saying, Mrs. Gandhi, she then, for them to stand up and cheer as she walks.
All right, sir.
You come with me.
That's a good, good question.