642–20

Conversation No. 642-20

Date: January 3, 1972
Time: 10:23 am - 10:56 am
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Gerard C. Smith, William P. Rogers and Henry A. Kissinger; the White
House photographer and members of the press were present at the beginning of the meeting.

Greetings

Smith's schedule
-Trip to Vienna
-London
 29

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 642-20 (cont.)


Arrangements for photograph session
-Seating
-Angles

The President's schedule

The President's interview with Dan Rather, January 2, 1972
-Lack of question on Strategic Arms Limitation Talks [SALT]

[Photograph session]

Photos
-Smith's address
-Unknown embassy

[General conversation]

SALT
-Report by verification panel
-Problem areas
-Rogers's experience
-Popular opinion
-Opposition to agreement
-Arms race
-Soviet escalation
-US response
-American Security Council [ASC]
-Conservatism
-Henry Tolbin [sp?]
-Television shows
-Soviet threat
-Congress
-Soviet escalation
-Soviet tests
-Number
-Nuclear Test Ban Treaty
-Soviet intentions and power
-US negotiations
-Appeal to public
-Right and left
-Political impact
 30

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 642-20 (cont.)


-World opinion
-Treaty
-Kissinger
-Antiballistic missile [ABM] agreement
-Executive Agreement
-Congress
-Filibuster
-John W. Bricker Amendment
-Treaty
-Exchange of letters
-Georges J.R. Pompidou
-Azores
-Sub-launched ballistic missiles [SLBM]
-Pompidou
-Letter
-Maurice Schumann
-SLBMs
-Smith's proposal
-Defense Department
-Details
-Tube numbers
-Congressional views
-Final agreement
-Effect on domestic front
-Defense Department
-Proposals
-Letters from Melvin R. Laird
-Details
-Interceptors
-Number
-Possible criticism
-Defense Department
-Views of Air Force, Navy and Army
-Lobbying groups
-Effects
-ASC
-Proposal
-Reporting
-Control
-State Department
-Soviet Union
 31

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 642-20 (cont.)


-National Security Council [NSC]
-Details
-Interceptors
-Number
-Helsinki
-Timing
-The President’s forthcoming trip to the People's Republic of China [PRC]
-Political climate
-Public opinion
-Lobbying by Rogers and Kissinger
-Congressional support
-Barry M. Goldwater, John G. Tower, James Buckley and Edward J.
Gurney
-Rogers’s conversations
-Smith
-The President's goal regarding arms race
-Smith's goal
-Henry M. (“Scoop”) Jackson
-Hyman G. Rickover
-Charley Reinhardt [sp?]
-ASC
-Gen. Earle G. (“Buzz”) Wheeler
-Defense budget
-Soviet budget
-John M. Ashbrook
-Negotiations
-Pentagon
-John S. Foster, Jr.
-Gardiner L. Tucker
-Foster
-Experience
-Tucker
-Suggestions
-Foster
-Influence on Congress
-Smith's and Foster's previous testimony before Congress
-[Unknown congressman]
-Foster
-Views
-Compared with Harold Brown
-John Sherman Cooper
 32

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 642-20 (cont.)


-Forthcoming meeting with Smith, January 4, 1972
-Past support
-Future in Congress
-Support of administration
-Message from the President
-Possible meeting
-Congressional advisors
-Michael J. Mansfield, Hugh Scott, Cooper and W[illiam] Stuart
Symington
-Symington
-Past performance
-John C. Stennis
-Support for administration
-Cooper
-Defense budget
-Possible submarine freeze
-Soviets
-Kissinger
-Nuclear arms race
-The President's previous conversation with Soviet Agriculture Minister
[Vladimir V. Matskevich]
-Parity
-Land based weapons
-Submarines
-Building
-Authorization compared to appropriation
-Arms control
-ABM
-Congressional authorization
-Offensive weapons
-Laird's previous speech
-Nuclear arms race
-Offensive weapons
-US public opinion
-Smith's suggestions
-Bill
-India-Pakistan War
-Effect on US position
-Soviet Union
-Mutual interests
-Negotiations
 33

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 642-20 (cont.)


-Middle East
-Mutual trust
-Trade
-Offensive weapons controls
-The President's instructions to Smith
-Negotiations
-Seriousness of Soviets
-Intercontinental Ballistic Missile [ICBMs] freeze
-Heavy missiles freeze
-Light missiles, launchers and silos conversion
-Detonation
-Mobiles
-Subs
-Mutual trust
-Public relations
-Verification
-Public opinion
-Arms race
-Smith's relations with Congress

The President's forthcoming trip to PRC
-People desiring to accompany the President
-Columbia Broadcasting System [CBS] crew

Smith and Kissinger left at 10:55 am.

The President's interview with Rather
-Press coverage
-Television and radio
-Question on the President's possible delay tactics regarding Vietnam, PRC and
Soviet trips, economic program and reelection
-The President’s response
-Newspapers’ view
-Bombing pause
-Lyndon B. Johnson

The President's schedule
-Forthcoming meeting with Rogers

Rogers left at 10:56 am.
 34

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 642-20 (cont.)