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Conversation: 670-018

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Start Date: 14-Feb-1972 3:05 PM

End Date: 14-Feb-1972 3:45 PM

Participants:

Nixon, Richard M. (President)Goulli, Slaheddine ElKissinger, Henry A.Bull, Stephen B.Buckley, James L.Korologos, Thomas C.

Recording Device: Oval Office

Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 04:02:32

Full Tape Conversation End Time: 04:43:08

670a.mp3

670b.mp3

670c.mp3

NARA Description:

On February 14, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, Slaheddine El Goulli, Henry A. Kissinger, Stephen B. Bull, James L. Buckley, and Thomas C. Korologos met in the Oval Office of the White House from 3:05 pm to 3:45 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 670-018 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid:

Conversation No. 670-18

Date: February 14, 1972
                                               48

                             NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. 10/06)
                                                                      Conv. No. 670-16 (cont.)


Time: 3:05 pm - 3:45 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Slaheddine El Goulli and Henry A. Kissinger.

     Greetings

     Photograph opportunity

     Greetings to Habib Bourguiba

     Kissinger
          -El Goulli

     People’s Republic of China [PRC] trip
          -Impact on world

El Goulli left at 3:06 pm.

     Vietnam
          -Message
          -Possible rejection
               -Action

Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 3:06 pm.

     Thomas C. Korologos
         -Arrival

Bull left at an unknown time before 3:45 pm.

     Vietnam negotiations
          -The President’s peace proposal speech, January 25, 1972
          -Secret channel
               -Stories

James L. Buckley and Korologos entered at 3:07 pm.

     Seating arrangements

     Buckley’s Far East trip
                                 49

               NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                          Tape Subject Log
                            (rev. 10/06)
                                                    Conv. No. 670-18 (cont.)


-Length
-South Pole
-Ceremony
     -Flag
-Treaty
-US territory
-PRC trip
     -Return
     -Marshall Greene’s travels
            -Anchorage
            -Japan
            -Korea
            -Taiwan, Republic of China
            -Indonesia
            -Australia
            -New Zealand
            -Thailand
     -Media
     -State Department
-Indonesia
-Thailand
-Vietnam
-Taiwan
-South Korea
-Japan
-Indonesia
     -Conservative
            -Buckley’s previous visit
-US aid
     -Difficulties
            -Indonesia
                  -Military
                        -US Senate
-US
     -Buckley’s comments at National Press Club
     -Allaying leadership fears
            -Nixon Doctrine
            -Media
     -Nixon Doctrine
            -President’s news summary
     -Media
                                        50

                      NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                 Tape Subject Log
                                   (rev. 10/06)
                                                              Conv. No. 670-18 (cont.)


                  -Effect
                        -Vietnam
                        -Thailand
                        -Indonesia
                        -South Korea
                        -Taiwan
             -J. William Fulbright
             -Media
                  -Washington Post, New York Times, Time and Newsweek
             -Leadership
                  -Chinese
                        -Possible Administration action
                        -Senators
             -United Nations [UN]
                  -Support of Nixon Doctrine
                  -South Korea
                        -Bilateral relations
                              -Treaty
                              -Unification of Korea
        -Chinese
             -South Korea
                  -The President’s forthcoming PRC trip
                  -Position
                        -Japan
                  -Soviets
                        -North Korea
        -Japan
             -Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR]
             -Nuclear arms


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

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
[National Security]
[Duration: 1m 32s ]


    JAPAN
                                            51

                         NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                    Tape Subject Log
                                      (rev. 10/06)
                                                                     Conv. No. 670-18 (cont.)


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2

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


                -PRC
                -Kissinger’s talks
                     -Japan
                           -Sense of destiny
                -Economy
                -Expansionism
                     -History
                -Treaty
                     -US and Japan
                -Soviets
                -Chinese
                     -South Korea
                -Malaysia
                     -Buckley’s possible meeting with Lee Kuan Yew

    The President’s forthcoming PRC trip
         -Return
              -Possible report to American people
                     -Mutual defense treaty
                     -Reassurances
                          -Détente
                          -Nixon Doctrine
                     -Congress

    The President’s forthcoming trip to the USSR
         -Timing

    Asia
           -Soviets
           -PRC
                -Avoiding sophisticated weapons
           -Soviets
           -Chinese
                -1964-65
                     -Ho Chi Minh
                          -Military assistance
                                          52

                        NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                    Tape Subject Log
                                      (rev. 10/06)
                                                                  Conv. No. 670-18 (cont.)


         -USSR aid to Vietnam
              -Tanks
                    -Laos
                    -Compared to those provided by US to South Vietnam
              -Guns
         -Congress
              -Disarmament
                    -Involvement
              -Thailand
              -Indonesia and Australia
                    -Domino Theory
              -South Vietnam
         -Cambodia
              -Prospects
                    -Buckley’s view
                         -Observations on recent trip
                    -Kissinger’s view
         -Laos
              -Status


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

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4
[National Security]
[Duration: 21s ]


    LAOS


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4

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


    Vietnam
         -Military operations
               -Laos
                    -Long Tieng
                          -Timing
                                          53

                     NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                Tape Subject Log
                                  (rev. 10/06)
                                                          Conv. No. 670-18 (cont.)


                     -Bombing
                     -Meo tribal forces
          -North Vietnamese
          -Laos
               -Budget constraints
          -Lyndon B. Johnson
               -1967, 1968
          -Bombing
          -Carriers
          -Saturation bombing
          -Possible offensive
               -Timing
                     -1972 election
          -Election

Buckley
    -Written summary of trip for Kissinger
         -Country by country analysis

Buckley’s Far East trip
    -Hong Kong
          -PRC
    -State Department
          -Buckley meetings
          -The President’s travels abroad
    -Embassies

The President’s forthcoming PRC trip
     -Possible impact on US allies
          -Need for reassurance
     -Possible impact on world
          -PRC, USSR
     -Chinese
          -Change
                 -Length of time
                 -Communism
     -Korea
          -Involvement
     -Vietnam
     -PRC
          -Nuclear power
                                              54

                          NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. 10/06)
                                                                    Conv. No. 670-18 (cont.)


                -US support
                      -Japan
                      -Thailand
                -Future
                      -PRC’s strength as a world leader
                      -The President
           -Soviet policy
                -Cuban Missile crisis
                      -US nuclear advantage
                -Moscow
           -Change in strategic balance
           -Risks
                -Changes
                      -Philosophy
                -Invitations to press
                      -Joseph C. Kraft
                      -William F. Buckley, Jr.

     Housing
         -Scattered housing
               -Federal government role

     Northern Ireland
          -The President’s previous conversation with John M. (“Jack”) Lynch
          -Edward R.G. Heath
          -History
                -Irish Republic
          -Heath
          -Lynch

     Kissinger’s background

Buckley, Kissinger, and Korologos left at 3:45 pm.
                                                55

                           NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. 10/06)