Secret White House Tapes

634–12

About this recording

634–12
  • President Richard M. Nixon
  • Vladimir V. Marskevich
  • Yuli M. Vorontsov
  • Henry A. Kissinger
  • UNKNOWN
  • Alexander P. Butterfield
December 9, 1971
Conversation No. 634-12

Date: December 9, 1971
Time: 4:00 pm - 4:41 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Vladimir V. Matskevich, Yuli M. Vorontsov, and Henry A. Kissinger.

[General conversation]
-Kissinger’s schedule

Introductory remarks
-Photographs of exhibition in Moscow
-The President’s attendance
-Milton S. Eisenhower
-Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR] agriculture

Message from Leonid I. Brezhnev
-Greetings
-The President’s forthcoming trip to the USSR
-Significance

Brezhnev
-Relationship with Matskevich
-Forthcoming meeting with the President
-Matskevich’s view
-Aleksei N. Kosygin

An unknown person entered at an unknown time after 4:00 pm.

Refreshments

The unknown person left at an unknown time before 4:33 pm.

USSR trip
-The President’s upcoming meeting with Brezhnev
-Significance
-Brezhnev
-US-USSR relations
-Possible impact
12

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 634-12 (cont.)



India-Pakistan situation
-Brezhnev
-Importance to the US
-Sense of urgency
-Possible settlement

US-USSR relations
-Progress over the past three years
-The President’s anti-Communism
-Negotiations
-Andrei A. Gromyko
-The President’s previous conversation with Gromyko
-The President’s respect for USSR leaders
-Progress
-Strategic Arms Limitation Talks [SALT]
-Berlin
-European security conference
-Kissinger
-Anatoliy F. Dobrynin
-Middle East
-Formal discussions
-Potential opportunities
-Berlin
-Limitations of armaments
-Middle East
-European security conference
-Trade
-Maurice H. Stans
-Previous trip to USSR, November 1971
-Peace and cooperation
-Different objectives
-USSR trip
-Timing
-India-Pakistan situation
-United Nations [UN]
-Disagreements
-Possible outcome
-Pakistan
-People’s Republic of China [PRC]
-Alliance
13

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 634-12 (cont.)


-USSR-Indian relations
-PRC
-Pakistan
-US-USSR relations
-Possible working relationship for peace
-Conditions for peace
-Ceasefire
-Attacks on West Pakistan to cease
-Possible action from the US
-Negotiations
-Prompted by Brezhnev [?]
-Agha Muhommad Yahya Khan
-Awami League
-Withdrawal
-Settlement
-Fairness
-USSR-Indian relations
-Key to settlement
-Negotiations
-US influence
-Yahya Khan
-Awami League
-Timing
-Possible confrontation
-Treaties
-USSR-US cooperation
-Spirit of cooperation
-UN
-Brezhnev
-Sense of urgency
-Differences between US and USSR
-Arms control
-Middle East
-India-Pakistan situation
-Trade
-Future of Europe
-Accomplishments
-Thanks from the President for the meeting
-Matskevich’s conversations with Brezhnev
-Pakistan
-Europe
14

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 634-12 (cont.)


-SALT
-Trade
-Agriculture
-India-Pakistan situation
-Time to settle affairs
-Matckevich’s forthcoming conversation with Brezhnev
-India-Pakistan situation
-Brezhnev’s efforts and views
-[Yahya Khan]
-Formal reply
-Brezhnev

Closing remarks
-The President’s upcoming meeting in Moscow, May 1972
-[Gifts]
-Dobrynin
-Best wishes from the President

Matskevich and Vorontsov left at 4:33 pm.

Meeting with USSR
-Significance of meeting
-Outcome

State Department

USSR-US relations
-Status

India-Pakistan situation
-PRC
-Pakistan ambassador [Agha Hilaly]
-Ceasefire
-Possible withdrawal

Alexander P. Butterfield entered at an unknown time after 4:33 pm.

Photographs of Vorontsov

Butterfield left at an unknown time before 4:41 pm.
15

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 634-12 (cont.)


India-Pakistan situation
-US involvement
-Potential diplomatic losses
-Pakistan ambassador
-Brezhnev letter
-Potential agreement between the US and USSR
-Possible negotiations with the Awami League
-Yahya Khan
-PRC
-USSR and US treaties
-Complex in nature
-West Pakistan
-Attempt to end the conflict
-Vorontsov
-Kissinger’s view on India-Pakistan
-Carrier movements
-Strait of Malacca
-Meeting with the Washington Special Actions Group [WSAG]
-Evacuation


**************************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[National Security]
[Duration: 56s ]


INDIA


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1

**************************************************************************


-WSAG meeting
-Meeting with Matskevich and Vorontsov
-Significance
-President’s policy
-Action by the President
16

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 634-12 (cont.)


-European security conference
-Middle East
-SALT
-Trade
-USSR
-Risk involved
-US bureaucracy


**************************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
[National Security]
[Duration: 37s ]


INDIA


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2

**************************************************************************


-WSAG meeting
-The President’s attitude


**************************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
[National Security]
[Duration: 14s ]


INDIA


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3

**************************************************************************
17

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 634-12 (cont.)




Kissinger left at 4:41 pm.
Secret White House Tapes |

634–12

This recording is currently not available on millercenter.org. To listen to it, please email Mike Greco at mdg4u@virginia.edu

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