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Conversation: 639-009

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Start Date: 18-Dec-1971 1:11 PM

End Date: 18-Dec-1971 1:34 PM

Participants:

Nixon, Richard M. (President)Haig, Alexander M., Jr.Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")White House operator

Recording Device: Oval Office

Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 00:27:59

Full Tape Conversation End Time: 00:50:29

639a.mp3

639b.mp3

639c.mp3

NARA Description:

On December 18, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, Alexander M. Haig, Jr., H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House from 1:11 pm to 1:34 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 639-009 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid:

Conversation No. 639-9

Date: December 18, 1971
Time: 1:11 pm - 1:34 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Gen. Alexander M. Haig, Jr.

     Haig’s schedule

     Pakistan
          -Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
          -Agha Muhommad Yahya Khan
          -Press photograph
                -Ronald L. Ziegler
                -Oliver F. (“Ollie”) Atkins
                      -Andrei A. Gromyko
          -Bhutto
          -President's schedule
                                            7

                         NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                    Tape Subject Log
                                      (rev. 10/06)
                                                                    Conv. No. 639-9 (cont.)


               -Length of Bhutto meeting
                    -Group of Ten meeting
                          -Timing
                          -John B. Connally
          -West Pakistan
               -Haig
                    -Kashmir
               -Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR] ships
                    -Missile ships
                    -Karachi
               -Student feelings towards Yahya Khan
                    -Ceasefire
                    -Attitude toward US and People’s Republic of China [PRC]


**************************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[National Security]
[Duration: 21s ]


    PRC


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1

**************************************************************************


               -USSR-PRC relations
               -Lt. Gen. Vernon A. Walters
                     -Visit with PRC Ambassador in Paris
               -US actions


**************************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
[National Security]
[Duration: 24s ]
                                                  8

                            NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                       Tape Subject Log
                                         (rev. 10/06)
                                                                 Conv. No. 639-9 (cont.)




    SRI LANKA


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2

**************************************************************************


            -Relations with US
                 -PRC
                 -USSR
                 -Henry A. Kissigner statement
                 -United Nations [UN] veto
                       -USSR reaction

    India
            -Reply to Indira Gandhi
                 -Haig
                 -Indian Ambassador
                       -William P. Rogers
                       -Ziegler
                             -Timing of release
                 -Kissinger
                 -US commitment

    India-Pakistan relations
         -Current conditions
               -Ceasefire

    US-USSR relations
        -Possible strategy
             -Ceasefire
                    -US policy
             -Peacemaking
             -Gandhi


**************************************************************************
                                           9

                          NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                   Tape Subject Log
                                     (rev. 10/06)
                                                               Conv. No. 639-9 (cont.)


BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
[National Security]
[Duration: 15s ]


    INDIA


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3

**************************************************************************


    Vietnam
         -Enemy activity
              -Laos
              -Cambodia
         -US losses
              -Planes
                    -T-28’s
                    -F4’s
                          -Mikoyan-Gurevich [MIGs]
                    -Surface to Air Missiles [SAMs]
         -US strategy
              -Joint Chiefs of Staff [JCS]
              -Kissinger
              -Implementation of plan
                    -Timing
              -Department of Defense [DOD]
              -Ziegler
              -Post-Christmas attack
              -Willy Brandt
              -Kissinger
              -USSR

    Cuba
           -Panama
           -US strategy


**************************************************************************
                                                10

                           NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                          Tape Subject Log
                                            (rev. 10/06)
                                                                Conv. No. 639-9 (cont.)



BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4
[National Security]
[Duration: 2m 3s ]


     INTELLIGENCE


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4

**************************************************************************


     USSR
         -Dialogue with US
              -Ziegler

H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman entered at 1:28 pm.

     Monetary meeting
         -Status of agreement
               -John B. Connally
               -Canadians
               -Japanese
               -Trade
         -Schedule
         -Status
               -Germans
                      -Karl Schiller
                      -Brandt
               -Italians
                      -Devaluation
                             -Number
                      -Italian election
               -French
               -Great Britain
               -Maurice Schumann
                      -Location
                      -French
                                              11

                            NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. 10/06)
                                                                     Conv. No. 639-9 (cont.)


Haig left at 1:31 pm.

           -Connally
                 -Possible need for new meeting
                 -Italian election
                 -Stock Market
                 -Japanese
                 -Canadians
                 -Germans
                        -Kissinger
                             -Upcoming call to Egon Bahr
                                   -Brandt
                 -Progress
           -President's view
                 -Possible statement
                 -Strategy
                        -Canadians

The President talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 1:31 pm and
1:34 pm.

[Conversation No. 639-9A]

[See Conversation No.16-110]

[End of telephone conversation]

Haldeman left at 1:34 pm.