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Conversation 631-002

TapeTape 631StartTuesday, December 7, 1971 at 2:59 PMEndTuesday, December 7, 1971 at 3:02 PMTape start time00:31:59Tape end time00:35:22ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Ziegler, Ronald L.Recording deviceOval Office
AudioNARA Description

On December 7, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the Oval Office of the White House from 2:59 pm to 3:02 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 631-002 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 631-002

Date: December 7, 1971
Time: 2:59 pm - 3:02 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Ronald L. Ziegler.

     Henry A. Kissinger
          -Ziegler’s talk with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
          -Talk with Ziegler
                -State Department

           -Edward M. Kennedy
           -United Nations [UN]
                -India-Pakistan
                      - Agha Muhommad Yahya Khan
                            -Coalition government
                            -Kissinger
                      -Paul N. (“Pete”) McCloskey, Jr.
                      -State Department
                            -Joseph J. Sisco
                                  -Backgrounder
                                        -Timing
                      -Kennedy
                            -India-Pakistan
                            -Refugees into India
                                  -Humanitarian aid
                                  -Kissinger
                                  -The President's forthcoming talk with Ziegler

Ziegler left at 3:02 pm.
Transcript (AI-Generated)

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 Do not cite this transcript as authoritative.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.

I thought I'd rephrase it with you just briefly.
I talked to Henry, and I'm convinced in my mind that he's not hung up on it.
You know, his interest is not because he's hung up on the state thing.
Kennedy's come out with an attack this afternoon, which doesn't bother me a whole lot.
He wouldn't take on Kennedy.
But I think maybe about 20, 25 minutes to Henry this afternoon, just to
Putting this into our position, into perspective here, for this group over here would be to our benefit.
And I'm convinced after talking to Henry, and I did it in a subtle way, that he's not going to get into any problem that he may have in his line of state.
But I do think we need a little posturing with the UN thing today, with the ya-ya calling for the coalition government thing.
And just an overall...
assessment from Henry, I think, would be much better than me standing out there today.
And the other thing I would do, it would give me a good deal to bridge on in the future.
It would give states and stuff to bridge on, McCloskey, which he would do.
It would give other spokesmen within the government things to bridge on.
Because Henry, I think... Well, see, they've had a backgrounder.
Cisco had a very good backgrounder about four or five days ago.
Uh-huh.
Well, it's a superficial line, which you would expect.
Why didn't we condemn Pakistan when we rushed to condemn India?
No, when the West Pakistan forces moved into East Pakistan and caused the
the killing which led to the refugees flowing into India, why didn't we condemn that action at that time?
Well, there's an excellent answer to that, without taking Kennedy on.
The reference, again, to the amount of humanitarian assistance we provided, the diplomatic context that was provided, the reference to, and this is what Henry could catalog again, you see, and I think to a great extent, diffuse what I sense to be a little bit of a
a building extension in that other direction.
Not that that's going to make a big blip domestically, but I think in our posture internationally and for those who are interested.
Yeah, what else?
Okay, fine.
I'll just wait here for you.
Yeah, I'll give you a buzz as soon as I find out.
Okay, sir.
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