709–13

Conversation No. 709-13

Date: April 17, 1972
Time: 10:51 am - 11:03 am
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Henry A. Kissinger.

Vietnam
-Daniel Z. Henkin's speech
-Democrats' criticism
-White House response
-H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman and Ronald L. Ziegler
-Defense of the President
-Attacks on Democrats
-Escalation in rhetoric
-[Forename unknown] Coleman [?]
-Previous conversation with the President
-Resolutions in Senate
-Curtailment
-Hanoi's response
-Charge of defeatism
-Administration's attacks
-Press coverage
-Edmund S. Muskie
-Hugh Scott and Michael J. Mansfield
-Trip to People's Republic of China [PRC]
-PRC statement
-Mansfield statement
-The President's Soviet trip
-Kissinger's conversation with PRC Ambassador
-Mansfield
-Administration attacks
-Soviets
-Kissinger offer
 27

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 709-13 (cont.)


-Interim solution
-Le Duc Tho
-Paris Peace Talks
-North Vietnamese invasion
-Defeats
-Attitude after bombing
-US conditions for negotiations
-North Vietnamese refusal
-Prisoners of war [POWs]
-Exchange
-Sick and wounded
-Democrats
-Criticism
-US policies
-Possible hardline
-Blockade
-End of war
-Involvement of Soviets
-Negotiations
-May announcement
-Timing
-Kissinger’s view
-Upcoming press conference
-Troop reductions
-Show of confidence
-Paris Peace talks
-Public impact
-Upcoming press conference
-Number
-Soviets
-Kissinger's trip
-Conversation with Anatoliy F. Dobrynin
-Message for the President
-Reason for the talks
-Reply
-Administration’s position
-Soviet summit
-Blockade
-Joseph C. Kraft
-Soviet response
-Option
 28

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 709-13 (cont.)



Ziegler entered at 11:01 am.

Soviet summit
-United Press International [UPI] story
-The President's itinerary
-Locations
-Ziegler
-Source from the Kremlin

Kissinger left at 11:02 am.

Vietnam
-North Vietnamese invasion
-William P. Rogers's televised statement before Senate Foreign Relations
Committee
-Number of North Vietnamese tanks with equipment
-Frank F. Church
-Criticism of Congress
-Length

Thelma C. (“Pat” ) Nixon
-Schedule
-Visit to National Zoo
-S. Dillon Ripley III
-Table tennis game
-Planning

PRC
-Table tennis game
-The President's schedule
-Thelma C. (“Pat” ) Nixon
-Changes in schedule

Ziegler left at 11:03 am.