President Nixon met with Ambassador John A. Volpe to discuss Volpe's diplomatic activities in Italy, specifically regarding the political strength of Prime Minister Giulio Andreotti. The conversation also covered the selection process for a new ambassador to Poland, with Volpe providing recommendations and status updates on potential candidates who had been vetted by the FBI and Catholic leadership. The two also addressed the logistical complexities of appointing a military officer to a civilian diplomatic post.
On April 18, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, John A. Volpe, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:12 pm to 12:20 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 900-009 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding AidConversation No. 900-9
Date: April 18, 1973
Time: 12:12 pm - 12:20 pm
Location: Oval Office
The President met with John A. Volpe.
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
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Conversation No. 900-9 (cont’d)
[Rainer Barzel’s meeting with President]
-West Germany
-Willy Brandt
Poland [?]
-News story [?]
Volpe’s activities
-Giulio Andreotti
-Luncheon
-Strength
-Meetings with Italian political leaders, ambassadors [?]
-Aldo Moro, Amitore Fanfani, and Emilio Colombo
-Informality
Ambassadorship to Poland
-Polish ancestry
-Recommendations
-Sent to Henry A. Kissinger
-Federal Bureau of Investigations [FBI]
-Gen. Leo John Dulacki
-Biography for President
-Duties
-Part-time arrangement
-Military service
-Retirement
-Dombrowski
-John Cardinal Krol
-Recommendations
-President of Polish-American alliance
-Alyosius Mujeski
-Political career
-Polish-American Congress
-Volpe’s meetings
-Luncheons
-Adm. [First name unknown] Wright [?]
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
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Conversation No. 900-9 (cont’d)
-Bishop [First name unknown] Mancincris
-Catholicism
Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 12:12 pm.
President’s schedule
-Telephone call from Spiro T. Agnew
Bull left at an unknown time before 12:20 pm.
Italy-Vatican relations
-Press relations
-Italy
-Andreotti
Andreotti
-Strength as Prime Minister
-Compared to Alcide De Gasperi, Fanfani, Columbo
Italian government
-Andreotti
-Strength
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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
[National security]
[Duration: 2 m 23 s ]
ITALIAN DOMESTIC POLITICS
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
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Conversation No. 900-9 (cont’d)
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
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Volpe left at 12:20 pm.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.