Conversation: 628-016
Prev:  628-015 Next: 628-017Start Date: 2-Dec-1971 3:05 PM
End Date: 2-Dec-1971 4:53 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Meir, Golda; White House photographer; Sanchez, Manolo; Kissinger, Henry A.; Rabin, Yitzhak; Recording Device: Oval Office
Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 03:30:18
Full Tape Conversation End Time: 05:18:10
NARA Description:
On December 2, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, Golda Meir, White House photographer, Manolo Sanchez, Henry A. Kissinger, and Yitzhak Rabin met in the Oval Office of the White House from 3:05 pm to 4:53 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 628-016 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 628-16 Date: December 2, 1971 Time: 3:05 pm - 4:53 pm Location: Oval Office The President met with Golda Meir; the White House photographer and members of the press were present at the beginning of the meeting. Greetings Photograph [General conversation] [Unintelligible] 33 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 628-16 (cont.) Meir’s schedule -Henry A. Kissinger and Yitzhak Rabin -Frank discussions with Meir Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR] -Relations with Israel -US and Israel -Strategy -Meir's talk with Kissinger Manolo Sanchez entered at an unknown time after 3:05 pm. Refreshment Rabin Sanchez left at an unknown time before 3:13 pm. US and Israel relations -Rabin and Kissinger -Kissinger -Relations with Israel -William F. (“Billy”) Graham’s call to the President -Timing -Concern by Graham -American Jews -William P. Rogers Kissinger and Rabin entered at 3:13 pm. Kissinger and Anatoliy F. Dobrynin communications Map room -Dwight D. Eisenhower -World War II -Maps -Robert Taylor [?] -Franklin D. Roosevelt US and Israel relations -Possible leaks 34 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 628-16 (cont.) -Less then confident feelings between US and Israel -Issues -Payments [?] -The President's trip to the USSR -Issues -Aircraft -Presidential responsibility -Joseph J. Sisco -Working out technical aspects -Congress -Kissinger's meeting with Meir -Unknown person -Sisco and Rabin meeting -Instructions to Sisco -Time limit -Rogers -Negotiations -Leonid I. Brezhnev -Future negotiations -State Department -Political program -Sisco -Kissinger's meeting with the President -Sisco -Instructions -Kissinger and Dobrynin communications -Airplanes -Dinner -Kissinger’s recommendation -Rogers -President’s schedule -Signing of memorandum -Talk with Kissinger -USSR -Phantoms -Separate understanding -Working out the details with Rabin -USSR -US attempts to maintain balance -Politics -Backgrounders 35 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 628-16 (cont.) -Ronald L. Ziegler -Under the President’s instructions -Kissinger -Balance -President’s advice to Meir -Sisco/Rabin meetings -Pressure -Politics -Rogers -Kissinger’s forthcoming conversations with Rogers -Agreement -President’s schedule -Sisco/Rabin meetings -Rogers -Protocols -Brezhnev and Anwar el-Sadat -President’s view -Delivery of planes -Political side -Planning -Continuance of frank talks -Monthly rate -Rabin/Sisco/Kissinger agreement -Dates of deliveries -Presidential decisions -Political side -Need for US discussion -Israeli/Egyptian agreement -State Department -Linkage with the Phantoms -US commitment to balance -USSR -Delivery schedule -Proposed date of arrival -President’s view -Speculation on Israel’s future -Sadat -Possibility of negotiations -US interests -Political settlement -Balance 36 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 628-16 (cont.) -Mediterranean -Middle East -USSR -Prospects for peace -Progress -Attempts -President’s view -Meir’s response -Pressure -Communication with the President -Rabin -Meir’s outlook -Ceasefire -Rabin -Attrition -Compromise -Possible Israeli concessions [?] -Egyptians -Sadat -Procedures -Egyptians -“The Rogers Plan” -International borders -United Nations [UN] -People’s Republic of China [PRC] -Unknown person -Negotiations with Israel [?] -Trade matters -Andrei A. Gromyko's talk with Chou En-lai -USSR -Alliance with the Arabs -Moscow -Money to Vietnam and Egypt -Amount -Brezhnev -Mao Tse-tung [?] -Israeli perspective -World view -Suez agreement -Pressure -War 37 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 628-16 (cont.) -Past conflicts -1957 -Golan heights -Israeli position -1957 -UN -Gaza Strip -Promises -Egyptians -Freedom in negotiations -Military -Level of strength -US agreement on 1969 border policy -Potential US diplomatic problem -Kissinger’s conversation wit unknown Prime Minister -USSR -Gromyko -Talk with the President -Rogers -Military action -Brezhnev -State Department -Unknown Prime Minister -Kissinger’s instructions to Meir and Rabin -[Unintelligible] -Ceasefire -Possible scenarios -Egypt and USSR -Kissinger -USSR -Potential escalation of tensions between the US and USSR -Concerns -Subsidies in the Middle East -Unknown situation -USSR -Jordan crisis -1967 war -Meeting in may -Meir's Skill -“Two track operation” -Negotiations 38 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 628-16 (cont.) -1967 war -Diplomatic reasonableness -Request from the President -US -Security -Two tracks of negotiations -USSR summit -Discussions -US attempt to work out negotiations -Suez Canal -Arabs -Attempt to quell tensions -Israeli cabinet -USSR -Egypt’s inability to negotiate with the USSR [?] -Interim period -US-Israel negotiations -Pressure-free -Kissinger’s proposal -General statement -Timing -Kissinger’s conversation with unknown Prime Minister -Talk with Dobrynin -Status of US actions -Egyptians -Timing -Gromyko -Rogers -Talk with the President -USSR -Trust -Previous US-USSR discussions -Dobrynin -Brezhnev -Previous discussions -The President/Meir meeting -The President's talk with Gromyko -Potential settlement -Meir and Rabin -Elections [?] -The President's talk with Meir 39 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 628-16 (cont.) -Kissinger -Kissinger's talk with Dobrynin -Possible stand by the President -Dobrynin talk with Meir [?] -Dobynin -Possible meeting -Timing -[Unintelligible] -Kissinger’s view -Dobrynin -Moscow -Egyptians -Prepared to talk -Negotiations -Kissinger’s view -The President's talk with Gromyko -Reductions [?] -Egypt -Possible opening of dialogue -Syria -USSR -US-USSR relations -Possible uncomfortableness from Israel -Kissinger-Rabin talks -Status of world situation -USSR -Clark MacGregor [?] -State Department -Proposed action -Dobrynin -US options -UN -USSR -Negotiations -Gromyko -Sisco [?] -USSR -[Unintelligible] -Exploratory talks [?] -Rabin-Kissinger meeting -[Unintelligible] 40 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 628-16 (cont.) -Israeli army -Figures -State Department -The survival of Israel -Rabin -USSR -Possibility of war -Finances -USSR -Potential breakthrough in negotiations -Kissinger’s forthcoming conversation with Rabin -[Unintelligible] -Rogers -Rabin -[Unintelligible] -Report from unknown person -Mecca [?] -Israeli situation -Meir’s view on the situation -US position -Security -Possibility for tough discussions with Israel -Kissinger -USSR -Negotiations -Dobrynin -Talk with Kissinger -Timing -US position -Related to the USSR -Deadlock -Negotiations -Egypt -State Department -Moscow -[Unintelligible] -Golan Heights [?] -Military equipment -Request for Meir [?] -Vietnam -Rabin [?] 41 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 628-16 (cont.) -Credibility -Lack of credit -Arabs -Vietnam -Laos comparison -Risky proposition -USSR -President’s view -Balance of power in the Mediterranean and Europe -Result -USSR -US position concerning the USSR -Possible catalyst for negotiations -Meir -PRC and USSR -Possible negotiations [?] -Arabs -Control -Egypt -Concern by Meir -Kissinger’s previous meeting with an unknown woman -President’s view -Dobrynin -Kissinger -Closing remarks The President, et al. left at 4:53 pm.