Conversation: 642-020
Prev: 642-019 Next: 642-021Start Date: Monday, January 3, 1972 3:23 PM
End Date: Monday, January 3, 1972 3:56 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Smith, Gerard C.; Rogers, William P.; Kissinger, Henry A.; White House photographerRecording Device: Oval Office
Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 03:26:26
Full Tape Conversation End Time: 04:00:50
NARA Description:
On January 3, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, Gerard C. Smith, William P. Rogers, Henry A. Kissinger, and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 10:23 am to 10:56 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 642-020 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 642-20
Date: January 3, 1972
Time: 10:23 am - 10:56 am
Location: Oval Office
The President met with Gerard C. Smith, William P. Rogers and Henry A. Kissinger; the White
House photographer and members of the press were present at the beginning of the meeting.
Greetings
Smith's schedule
-Trip to Vienna
-London
29
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 642-20 (cont.)
Arrangements for photograph session
-Seating
-Angles
The President's schedule
The President's interview with Dan Rather, January 2, 1972
-Lack of question on Strategic Arms Limitation Talks [SALT]
[Photograph session]
Photos
-Smith's address
-Unknown embassy
[General conversation]
SALT
-Report by verification panel
-Problem areas
-Rogers's experience
-Popular opinion
-Opposition to agreement
-Arms race
-Soviet escalation
-US response
-American Security Council [ASC]
-Conservatism
-Henry Tolbin [sp?]
-Television shows
-Soviet threat
-Congress
-Soviet escalation
-Soviet tests
-Number
-Nuclear Test Ban Treaty
-Soviet intentions and power
-US negotiations
-Appeal to public
-Right and left
-Political impact
30
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 642-20 (cont.)
-World opinion
-Treaty
-Kissinger
-Antiballistic missile [ABM] agreement
-Executive Agreement
-Congress
-Filibuster
-John W. Bricker Amendment
-Treaty
-Exchange of letters
-Georges J.R. Pompidou
-Azores
-Sub-launched ballistic missiles [SLBM]
-Pompidou
-Letter
-Maurice Schumann
-SLBMs
-Smith's proposal
-Defense Department
-Details
-Tube numbers
-Congressional views
-Final agreement
-Effect on domestic front
-Defense Department
-Proposals
-Letters from Melvin R. Laird
-Details
-Interceptors
-Number
-Possible criticism
-Defense Department
-Views of Air Force, Navy and Army
-Lobbying groups
-Effects
-ASC
-Proposal
-Reporting
-Control
-State Department
-Soviet Union
31
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 642-20 (cont.)
-National Security Council [NSC]
-Details
-Interceptors
-Number
-Helsinki
-Timing
-The President’s forthcoming trip to the People's Republic of China [PRC]
-Political climate
-Public opinion
-Lobbying by Rogers and Kissinger
-Congressional support
-Barry M. Goldwater, John G. Tower, James Buckley and Edward J.
Gurney
-Rogers’s conversations
-Smith
-The President's goal regarding arms race
-Smith's goal
-Henry M. (“Scoop”) Jackson
-Hyman G. Rickover
-Charley Reinhardt [sp?]
-ASC
-Gen. Earle G. (“Buzz”) Wheeler
-Defense budget
-Soviet budget
-John M. Ashbrook
-Negotiations
-Pentagon
-John S. Foster, Jr.
-Gardiner L. Tucker
-Foster
-Experience
-Tucker
-Suggestions
-Foster
-Influence on Congress
-Smith's and Foster's previous testimony before Congress
-[Unknown congressman]
-Foster
-Views
-Compared with Harold Brown
-John Sherman Cooper
32
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 642-20 (cont.)
-Forthcoming meeting with Smith, January 4, 1972
-Past support
-Future in Congress
-Support of administration
-Message from the President
-Possible meeting
-Congressional advisors
-Michael J. Mansfield, Hugh Scott, Cooper and W[illiam] Stuart
Symington
-Symington
-Past performance
-John C. Stennis
-Support for administration
-Cooper
-Defense budget
-Possible submarine freeze
-Soviets
-Kissinger
-Nuclear arms race
-The President's previous conversation with Soviet Agriculture Minister
[Vladimir V. Matskevich]
-Parity
-Land based weapons
-Submarines
-Building
-Authorization compared to appropriation
-Arms control
-ABM
-Congressional authorization
-Offensive weapons
-Laird's previous speech
-Nuclear arms race
-Offensive weapons
-US public opinion
-Smith's suggestions
-Bill
-India-Pakistan War
-Effect on US position
-Soviet Union
-Mutual interests
-Negotiations
33
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 642-20 (cont.)
-Middle East
-Mutual trust
-Trade
-Offensive weapons controls
-The President's instructions to Smith
-Negotiations
-Seriousness of Soviets
-Intercontinental Ballistic Missile [ICBMs] freeze
-Heavy missiles freeze
-Light missiles, launchers and silos conversion
-Detonation
-Mobiles
-Subs
-Mutual trust
-Public relations
-Verification
-Public opinion
-Arms race
-Smith's relations with Congress
The President's forthcoming trip to PRC
-People desiring to accompany the President
-Columbia Broadcasting System [CBS] crew
Smith and Kissinger left at 10:55 am.
The President's interview with Rather
-Press coverage
-Television and radio
-Question on the President's possible delay tactics regarding Vietnam, PRC and
Soviet trips, economic program and reelection
-The President’s response
-Newspapers’ view
-Bombing pause
-Lyndon B. Johnson
The President's schedule
-Forthcoming meeting with Rogers
Rogers left at 10:56 am.
34
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 642-20 (cont.)