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Conversation 725-034

TapeTape 725StartTuesday, May 16, 1972 at 12:54 PMEndTuesday, May 16, 1972 at 1:01 PMTape start time04:01:57Tape end time04:11:20ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Granfil, Toma;  Sonnenfeldt, Helmut ("Hal");  White House photographerRecording deviceOval Office
AI Summary

President Nixon met with Yugoslavian representative Toma Granfil and advisor Helmut Sonnenfeldt to discuss diplomatic relations and upcoming geopolitical objectives. The discussion centered on fostering strong bilateral ties with Yugoslavia, including the exchange of birthday greetings for President Josip Broz Tito, and clarifying the objectives of Nixon’s impending trip to Moscow. Nixon emphasized his commitment to maintaining independent state sovereignty and pledged to provide Tito with a personal, frank report on the outcomes of his Soviet negotiations.

YugoslaviaJosip Broz TitoDiplomacyMoscow SummitBilateral RelationsForeign Policy
AudioNARA Description

On May 16, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, Toma Granfil, Helmut ("Hal") Sonnenfeldt, and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:54 pm to 1:01 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 725-034 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 725-34

Date: May 16, 1972
Time: 12:54 pm - 1:01 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Toma Granfil and Helmut Sonnenfeldt; the White
House photographer was present at the beginning of the meeting.

     Greetings

      [Photograph session]
          -Josip Broz Tito

      Gift to President
          -Film
                -President and Mrs. Tito
     Greetings
          -The President and Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon

                                     (rev. Jan-02)

Tito
       -President's trip to Belgrade
       -Tito's visit to US
       -Continued relationship
       -Age
             -President's age
       -The President’s view
       -Message from President for birthday
             -Instructions for Sonnenfeldt
             -Timing

President's trip to Moscow
    -Effect on Yugoslovia
    -Tito's wishes
          -People’s Republic of China [PRC] visit
    -Purposes
          -Improved understanding of other countries
          -Improved relations with Soviet Union
          -Improved relations with Yugoslavia
    -Bilateral agreements
          -Assurances for Tito
    -Report to Tito
    -Report to President of Mexico [Luis Echeverria Alvarez]
    -Report to Europeans

Tito
       -Report to President
       -Appreciation of President's previous visit[?]
       -The President’s view
       -Concerns
            -Vietnam
                  -Efforts of non-aligned countries in Paris peace talks
                        -Time to intervene
                        -Nature of talks
                  -Settlement
                        -Possibility
            -Relations with Soviet Union
                  -Compared with relations with US
            -Relations with US
                  -The President’s view
                  -Granfil’s view
            -Smallpox
                  -Luncheon for doctors

                                         (rev. Jan-02)

           -Gift to President
                 -Thank-you letter from President
                 -US ties with film's production
                       -US Information Agency [USIA]
                            -White House, Washington DC

      Best wishes
          -For President
          -For all countries

The President, Granfil, and Sonnenfeldt left at 1:01 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 don't think I've met Mr. Mujica.
I don't think on any of my trips, but I hope to leave sometime.
But he has our good wishes, not on me.
I'm trying to get you to work with our state department people and our White House people.
We will be as helpful as we can.
That's right.
Do you understand the Prime Minister?
You'll have a residence here, yeah?
Well, we are going to have a meeting.
We've been here already, so you know the challenge.
I hope you find a comfortable residence.
It's that way, mister.
I don't think I've met Mr. Moody Knight and I don't think I've met any Montrose.
But I hope to leave sometime.
But he has our good wishes.
I mean, you can work with our city, our people, and our white house people.
It's all those we can.
Right.
Right.
That's right, he is the new prime minister.
You'll, uh, you'll have a residence here, yeah?
We'll be, uh, we'll be having a little meeting.
You've been here already, so you know the town well.
I hope you find a comfortable residence.
I must say, you said a country girl would have a seat with you.
Bye.
Bye.
It's that way.
It's the other way.
Thank you.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yes, that's a film of ours, his last visit to KFR.
And at the same time, I'm sanctified with all my best wishes to God.
I want you to convey to them that we have some fondest recollections of our own visit to your country.
and also the Monterey elections of his visit to our country.
And we feel we have a very close personal tie-down, and as we want to continue, it's hard to realize he's going to be in this tea on the first day of the 25th.
I hope that I'll be 60 my next birthday, and I hope I am as much bigger at 60 as he has at 80.
Thank you.
It's awesome.
It's not a valley, but it is.
Our whole country is celebrating it.
Right.
So to be sure, I prepared a message on that.
Would you work it out to send it through the ambassador?
I will send the message in.
Yes.
The personal letter.
Well, you can send it by publisher or by anything you do that way.
Yeah.
Perfect.
and I'm sure that's the 25th of May.
It's his birthday, right?
Yes.
We've got to get off before we leave for Moscow.
Right.
And to that point, we're in Moscow.
We would not encourage you.
So the president sent a message that he's looking forward to your visit to Moscow.
He's hopeful that you'll be successful.
The meeting visit was successful and very important for us.
I mean, it will make it, make the world safer, make it safer for independent countries as we want.
Yes.
Our business can't help that way.
We hope that it's in Moscow, not by independent countries, I mean.
Their social system is their own business.
They have a social system.
This country has the right to its own existence, its own existence.
It has been the example of that for many years.
We believe in that principle.
We want good relations with the Soviet Union.
We want good relations with the U.S. government.
And we will make some agreements with the Soviet Union that are bilateral.
They will not be directed against anybody else.
And to become the only president that we will, I will write him afterwards.
I don't know.
my personal observations for his own information, because he talked to me very frankly about his visits and his observations, and I only ever have the same observations from me.
We'll have a good exchange of views.
So, President Tito, I very much appreciate it.
You can't reveal such a note.
Well, that's a prime thought.
That's a prime thought for your president.
Prime thought.
Very intelligent.
Very soft.
Nothing soft about him.
Yeah, it's very personal.
That's going to work out.
I mean, he will be strong.
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