Nixon White House Tapes — Conversation 854-026
Date: Tuesday, February 13, 1973 at 12:38 PM
Participants: Nixon, Richard M. (President); Scowcroft, Brent G. (Gen.); Bull, Stephen B.
Recording device: Oval Office
Source: https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/854-026

This transcript was generated automatically by AI (WhisperX) and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Do not cite it as authoritative.

[0:00] I wanted to ask you about, uh, do you have any further report from Hacker today on, uh, his meetings?
[0:05] No, sir.
[0:05] Only, only that he had a two-hour meeting, but no, uh, nothing else.
[0:11] But he's, uh, was he delayed?
[0:16] Uh, he did, he, uh, was going to leave at 9 o'clock in the morning.
[0:19] He left at 12.30, and that gave him time.
[0:22] for this two-hour meeting, but we've had no report on what the substance was.
[0:27] We don't have anything about his economic progress.
[0:30] Only what I read you last night, that they seem to be at least understanding in the sense that they didn't insist on specifying amounts.
[0:44] But I think he probably delayed and asked for that extra meeting as a result of your note, which
[0:52] I think you need to get that across.
[0:55] Oh, I think so.
[0:55] And I think that's it.
[0:57] We cannot be in a position.
[1:00] Let me ask you this.
[1:02] I think it's useful.
[1:04] I see him.
[1:06] And I don't have the time for anything else.
[1:08] Is there a real problem with that?
[1:10] I don't send it off to Henry, because he's so busy over there telling him.
[1:14] What is it, a treaty with Cuba?
[1:16] It's just a hijacking agreement, and I don't know that there's any problem in it at all.
[1:21] I guess my real question is whether or not he thought there would be any impact while he's in China if something were announced on the streets, and I don't know that there would be.
[1:33] But that was the only point of which I...
[1:37] Well, I did.
[1:38] We ought to get Bill Rogers over here.
[1:40] He's got to make a big deal out of it because of what this press conference is.
[1:45] I just want to make it clear.
[1:50] Where is it?
[1:52] So, just wait a second.
[1:53] I'm going to discuss it.
[1:58] Yeah.
[1:58] You can have Secretary Rogers over here.
[2:06] 435 somewhere.
[2:07] Is Romaine coming by?
[2:08] Yes, sir.
[2:09] He's coming by.
[2:10] He's like the rest of the way over to you?
[2:16] Yeah.
[2:16] First floor, on 9.
[2:21] He'll be over in just a few minutes.
[2:25] Uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh.
[2:36] When you mention helms, helms, tomorrow, that's not only helms, it's a routine.
[2:44] You'll do that during the 11th, 12th, 13th period.
[2:46] You might want to hear someone, you might want to have staff during the 15th period if you'd like.
[2:52] It's just like more pressing things.
[2:56] Yeah, there are some more though, aren't there?
[3:07] Well, as I say, that was my only concern about the hijacking, and I can't imagine that there would be any connection.
[3:11] Well, I had a good talk about it.
[3:15] I don't care if it does re-irrigate the Chinese.
[3:21] We've got to take a strong view on that.
[3:25] Well, that's something I'll consider.
[3:46] i suppose i suppose the problem would be at the car i think that that would be that would be a real problem i think uh i i just want to quietly go away well i i i think that's the best really i think
[4:15] Well, it really is.
[4:19] But I think unless something comes out on some of the prisoners that is really, really bad, I think at this point all we can do is tarnish what now is a good story by raking over the church.
[4:40] Well, I have told...
[4:43] So far all I've told them is that we want absolutely no information out on this at all.
[5:14] All right.