Nixon White House Tapes ›Tape 670 › Conversation 670-011

Nixon, Arguelles & Kissinger on U.S.-Spain relations and Diplomatic service

Monday, February 14, 1972 · 12:49 PM–12:52 PM ET · Oval Office ·3 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Arguelles, Jaime;  Kissinger, Henry A.Conversation670-011 onTape 670 (tape position 02:09:32–02:17:13)StartMonday, February 14, 1972 at 12:49 PMEndMonday, February 14, 1972 at 12:52 PMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 670-011 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon met with departing Spanish diplomat Jaime Arguelles and Henry Kissinger to bid farewell and acknowledge Arguelles’s service. The discussion focused on fond memories of the President’s 1970 visit to Spain and the selection of Angel Sagaz as Arguelles's successor. The participants concluded the meeting by reaffirming the importance of maintaining strong diplomatic ties between the two nations.

Audio

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Transcript (AI-generated)

This transcript was generated automatically by AI (WhisperX) and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Names and numbers are often wrong; speakers are not identified. Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Goodbye, good master, how are you?
Well, I'll tell you, I'm so, uh, so, uh, for such a good friend, we didn't want to see you leave without my saying goodbye.
I must say, as you go, I think of all the business we've made as you're going into this thing.
The greatest day in terms of the number of people who came.
That was a fantastic day.
Too many people.
And they were enthusiastic.
They were really enthusiastic.
They were enthusiastic.
Well, I don't know if it will matter, but I mean, you've got to think of it.
You've got to think of it.
Well, I don't know if it matters.
I don't know if it matters.
I've had the best tool of duty that I could expect.
Oh yes.
Oh, you are?
Well, your successor will be another...
I'm not the ambassador in Cali.
Oh, yes, yes.
As we said, I think he's very good.
He's well done by himself.
I must say, he's very good.
I think he's...
He knows how to do it.
He knows how to do it.
I think Dr. Bravo is sending the best people that could.
I think it's so important to keep these measures in mind.
Absolutely.
It's a very good thing.
Good luck.
And I do wish you good luck here.
We appreciate your service to your country and to ours.
Thank you.
Oh, I will.
I'd like to come as a tourist.
As a tourist.
Travelling to New York?
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
We're so happy to see you.

NARA Description

On February 14, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, Jaime Arguelles, and Henry A. Kissinger met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:49 pm to 12:52 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 670-011 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 670-11

Date: February 14, 1972
Time: 12:49 pm - 12:52 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Jamie Arguelles and Henry A. Kissinger. Conv. No. 670-23/671-1 (cont.)

     Greetings

     Arguelles’s departure

     Spain
          -The President’s visit in 1970
               -Two million people

     Pictures

     Florida
           -Arguelles’s visit

     Arguelles’s successor
         -Angel Sagaz [?]

     The President’s appreciation
          -Arguelles’s service
          -The President’s possible return visit to Spain

Arguelles and Kissinger left at 12:52 pm.

Also recorded on February 14, 1972

  • 670-008 10:59 AM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Rose Mary Woods, Stephen B. Bull, and Henry A. Kissinger met in the Oval Office of the White House from 10:59 am to 11:04 am.
  • 670-009 11:04 AM · 1 min — Manolo Sanchez, United States Secret Service agents, and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:04 am and 12:49 pm.
  • 670-010 11:04 AM · 20 sec — Stephen B. Bull, Henry A. Kissinger, and President Richard M. Nixon met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:04 am and 12:49 pm.
  • 670-012 12:58 PM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Rose Mary Woods, and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:58 pm to 1:02 pm.
  • 670-013 1:04 PM · 1 hr 19 min — President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, unknown person(s), and Henry A. Kissinger met in the Oval Office of the White House from 1:04 pm to 2:25 pm.
  • 670-014 2:25 PM · 4 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 2:25 pm and 2:48 pm.
  • 670-015 2:25 PM · 33 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 2:25 pm and 2:48 pm.
  • 670-016 2:48 PM · 14 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Ronald L. Ziegler, and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Oval Office of the White House from 2:48 pm to 3:04 pm.

All 30 conversations from February 14, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 670-011, February 14, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/670-011 (accessed September 18, 2026).