Conversation 783-001

On September 19, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, Stefan Olszowski, Witold Trampczynski, William P. Rogers, Henry K. Sokalski, Henry A. Kissinger, White House photographer, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 10:07 am to 10:34 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 783-001 of the White House Tapes.

Conversation No. 783-1

Date: September 19, 1972
Time: 10:07 am - 10:34 am
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Stefan Olszowski, Witold Trampczynski, William P. Rogers, Henry K.
Sokalski, and Henry A. Kissinger. Members of the press and the White House photographer
were present at the beginning of the meeting.

            Greetings
                -The President’s schedule
                    -Congressional leaders

            [Photograph session]

            US relations with Poland
                -Olszowski’s meetings with Rogers
                -Greetings from Edward Gierek and Piotr Jaroszewicz
                -Letter to the President
                     -The President’s trip to Poland, May 1972
                -Trade and science relations
                     -Peter G. Peterson, Dr. Edward E. David, Jr.
                -Economic relations
                     -Debt repayment
                          -Poland’s economy
                     -Export-import [EX-IM] bank credits
                     -Pre-World War II bonds settlement negotiations
                -Scientific and technological cooperation
                     -Rogers
                     -Outer space
                     -Polish people
                -Europe
                     -The President’s talks in Warsaw
                     -Soviet Union
                          -Detente
                     -Polish foreign relations
                          -Relations with West Germany
                          -Bilateral, multilateral agreements
                -US Role

                       (rev. Nov-03)

     -Rogers
          -Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe [CSCE]
-1972 US election
     -Well wishes from Polish leadership and people
-The President’s trip to Warsaw, May 1972
     -The President’s appreciation to Gierek and others
-US foreign policy goals
     -Rogers, Kissinger
     -Polish-Americans
     -Poland’s history and people
     -The President’s Warsaw talks
     -Olszowski’s talks with Rogers
     -The President’s role
-Hope for future
-Interests
     -Gierek, Jaroszewicz, Oszlowski
-Polish-Americans
     -Clement Zablocki
          -Dinner with Olszowski
          -Milwaukee
          -Party affiliation
          -1972 election
              -George S. McGovern’s prospects
          -The President’s recent meeting with Republican
           Congressional leaders
              -War powers
-Vietnam War
     -Oszlowski’s recent conversations with North Vietnamese ambassador
          -Tone
          -Paris talks
          -1972 election
              -North Vietnamese independence from Soviet Union
               and Peoples Republic of China [PRC]
              -Settlement
     -1972 election
          -[McGovern]
          -Possible impact of results on North Vietnamese bargaining position
              -Olszowski’s conversation with the North Vietnamese
              ambassador
     -US negotiating posture
          -The President’s conversation with Jaroszewicz and Gierek
          -1972 election

                                         (rev. Nov-03)

                  -Europe
                      -CSCE
                           -Conflict
                           -Result
                           -Poland’s goal
                           -Poland’s previous leadership
                  -Greetings from the President to Gierek and wife and to Jaroszwicz
                      -Future meeting
                           -1972 election

             Polish women

             Presentation of gifts by the President
                 -Presidential seal
                      -Oval office

Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 10:07 am.

             Instruction

Bull left at an unknown time before 10:34 am.

             Gifts
                 -Steuben glass
                 -Cuff links
                     -Presidential seal

             Group Captain Surayute Nivasabute, military attache from Thailand
                -Incident involving wife

             Warsaw talks

Olszowski et al. left at 10:34 am.

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.

How are you?
Good to see you again.
Good to see you again.
Sorry we're a little late.
I was having a meeting with our congressional leaders.
The Secretary of State will tell you to go on and on.
I didn't want to keep you waiting.
They never kept me waiting.
Of course not.
That's it.
That's it.
That's it.
That's it.
Thank you.
Thank you.
All right.
Thank you.
Thank you.
to see to be in this very busy time of yours.
I should try to emphasize that we had very fruitful conversations yesterday with Mr. Secretary of State, which I very highly, highly appreciate, which I extremely have to say.
I have been authorized by the Prime Minister to hand you a letter which I have the pleasure to
And to you, sir.
This is for what's allegorical, but in our official translation, as we have closed.
I would also like to...
three and a half months ago has been quite a substantial development.
We can even now talk in terms of some new stage of Polish-American relations, especially our political leadership of Poland-Germany.
It would be really satisfactory.
that we have received your decision to delay the payments of our debts, great debts.
This is quite a substantial assistance to us, especially to limit the time of quite difficult economic problems that are facing us.
And in the same spirit, I should like to point out to
our hopes and expectations, all credits of the Exit Bank of Israel.
Let me say at this juncture, Mr. President, that the talks have ultimately resulted on the settlement of the question of pre-war bonds.
And I'm quite sure that these talks will be good.
Mr. President.
Our side, we understand that it is quite a social problem that you cannot have a certain group of people that would feel very hard or not satisfied due to certain things that have not been settled.
We count much on the signing of agreements of scientific and technological cooperation, which we had yesterday during the conversations
state once we talk about scientific questions that we also mr president this is
very enthusiastically received by people in Poland.
Sentimental, Polish people are quite sentimental people.
And this has been, to me, very highly appreciated, and it brought quite a bunch of friendly, pleasant feelings towards the United States, towards the future of the United States, and towards you as the president personally.
May I also say, Mr. President, that all the leaders and I told you that during the talks you had in Warsaw, it's still valid, it's still topical.
We shall try to implement this program that you have been informed of in Warsaw, especially as far as European matters are concerned, which are of great concern to Poland.
act of work can instead fascinate towards data.
It's quite an important step that we should go, regardless of all the difficulties.
We have with the representatives of the government of the German Federal Republic, we have established diplomatic relations recently.
Europe, especially as far as the shaping of European structures
based both on bilateral and multilateral agreements, on the basis of agreements of bilateral and multilateral character.
and hence it was of great interest and appreciation that I listened to Mr. Rogers on the participation of the United States in the preparations to the conference on security and the conference on the power of the United States and our strong wish to contribute the greatest possible share
Mr. President, let me also say that the leadership of the government is fully aware of this great campaign that has just started in the United States.
It is also aware of the significance of
is due in about seven weeks or so by the elections coming.
I wish you and your friends all success.
We have convinced ourselves of your victory.
What we can do, naturally, we wouldn't like to boast too much of our possibilities.
But whatever we can do, whatever we can, it is interfering into the matters of the United States.
So it is so.
But whatever we can do, we certainly speak up in favor of the person of President Richard Nixon.
And it is a note.
American, Polish, and Russian in the United States who are following the development of Polish-American relations.
They would certainly lend their support to the candidates like yours.
Mr. President, wishing you once more the success in the elections.
I would like to express my belief and just remember that Mr. President was with you in New York and turned to come
And with your support and your assistance, I wish to thank you for the exception you would afford to me and the invitation I have received to visit the United States.
Mr. Foreign Minister, I want to express our appreciation for your warm summons and also to
I'd like to tell you that on my part, I wish you would express our thanks to Gary and the Prime Minister and all of those who made our visit to Waterstone such a historic and natural one.
It has been the goal of our policy, as Mr. Rogers knows, and Dr. Hirst, you know, since I came to the office, to have a better relationship with Coleman.
There are two reasons.
One, it's a natural one, but we have so many Americans of Polish descent in Australia, and they're fine Americans.
The other is that there has always been what I would call a somewhat of a love affair between the United States and the United States.
The American people would like to work closely with the television people in the better life.
We, uh,
And I will personally watch the development very closely with my son, and it will lend my influence wherever it is needed.
It's the personal fact that I don't mean that we have to decide whether we should do it or not.
Each country must have its own interests.
Gary, the prime minister, and you, Bob, and our friends in Poland, who have just passed away, that means that you're not going to pay the wage, or something like that, which we intend to do.
Mr. President, the minister is, well, that's my head, Clemson, Blanquist, and, oh, yes, good man.
We got talked about.
The foreign minister was talking about politics.
And someone asked some Milwaukee folks from Milwaukee whether he thought that the support for you was good there.
And he said, yes, very good.
And somebody said, do you think the government has a chance of winning Wisconsin?
He said, winning Wisconsin?
Hell, he isn't going to win a single state.
But I think that's a little bit.
Yeah.
That's a very, Zablocki is one of the ableest men in the House.
As a matter of fact, in a meeting we had with our Republican leaders today, as everybody knows, they spoke very warmly of Zablocki.
Well, it is.
It's a war party.
It's a war party.
It's a war party.
Uh, one other thing, Mr. Minister, I think it's worth pointing out to the few that spent a moment on here, what you were telling me last night about your discussions with the North Vietnamese ambassadors.
I thought that was very interesting.
Or so.
Or so, yes.
Oh.
Yes, Mr. Minister.
At least, uh, I did have two or three discussions with the Vietnamese.
They were extremely difficult and hard discussions.
was very big to us.
Their position was, so to speak, a schematic one, a tough one.
And actually, it was very hard for me to find a common language with them.
So then I'm trying to choose and learn to ask them what would be their position in connection with Irish talks.
a lot of speculations they had
the election situation in the United States.
I tried to persuade those who were illusory speculators.
I think, to a certain extent, a bit catchy.
That's what the meaning is.
Also, I should like to say that the impression I got from the talks was one of quite considerable independence of their actions, in the sense of their independence both from the Soviet Union and China.
Well, what we can do in this respect
We certainly do.
We try to discuss it.
But I'm sure it is difficult to come to a conclusion on a serious result of various stocks.
is bringing some contribution to finding a compromise, so it shouldn't take the long route.
The minister, I think, in discussing with me, said that he emphasized the importance of trying to work out a solution, and that he felt that there are hopes that the election might go against you, or just an evolution.
I think that it might be a response to get this very angle.
So I think it's helpful and it's very helpful.
The problem, Mr. Minister, that they face is very simple.
This election will be interpreted by the American people as a plus sign for the war.
Now, if they guess wrong, and their candidate does not win, their bargaining position is nil.
He said that's what he told us.
Well, we are not, we're not threatening because we want to settle, I mean, we're very reasonable, as I said, with John Garrett, you know, but the idea, if they have any ideas, I don't know, I should just, they are being very, very stupid.
But we hope that that problem will be one we will not have to discuss at times in the future.
And yet, more importantly, as we work on these difficult problems in New York, and they are not easy, of course, as we know.
But we have a last year conference, and there's our talks today with Dr. Morse on this question.
But for me,
It's all important, but it's also important that this is a conference.
When it comes, we want to say it's well prepared for both sides.
And it doesn't just come out with a lot of flowery language about Australia.
It's just organized.
It wasn't right.
It wasn't right.
It was just organized.
It wasn't right.
It's a very holistic position.
As a matter of fact, it's interesting to note that if you go way back, I'm not sure if you can change that.
That'd be the way to be assured.
Hold on.
Let's keep going.
Thank you very much.
Well, to extend my personal best wishes, Gary and his wife, and the dog also.
Thank you very much.
Well, I can give you a couple of trinkets to distinguish visitors to this room.
See, the market in Rome is the seal of the Presbyterian Church, which was built 70 years ago.
And there are only 48 of them.
It's an hour and 50 stars.
We should bring with us one of those for the prime minister to have this in the back.
And you see they have it, have it all here and all still in that one.
Same on that one.
That's stewette, stewette.
It's a famous stewette of the last age.
And here is the sea oak off the flag, isn't it?
Ah, good luck.
Good luck.
All right.
Good to see you.
I called incidentally one of your colleagues, not your colleague, but I had that terrible incident involving the Thai, the military aide's wife, you know, who was said to have injured herself.
Well, that was my husband.
He said that happened.
Yeah.
Very bad.
Very bad.
She was very sick.
They think she's going to get through it.
But she was on the street, and somebody had been trying to rob her.
And she shot her at night.
And the bullet was lost.
I am aware that they shoot a poor woman out here.
Well, you watch your people.
Goodbye.
Good to see you again.
Remember, this is the first time you did it in all of our lives.
Good job.