817–16

Conversation No. 817-16

Date: November 30, 1972
Time: 12:17 pm -1:11 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman


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[Begin segment reviewed under deed of gift]

Republican National Committee [RNC] Chairman
-George H. W. Bush
-Conversation with Robert J. Dole
-Dole
-Arrangements for departure
-Kansas
-Meeting with the President
-Bush
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Apr.-08)

Conversation No. 817-16 (cont’d)

-Qualities

[End of segment reviewed under deed of gift]
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-Dole
-Behavior
-1972 Campaign
-The President’s view


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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
[Privacy]
[Duration: 2s ]

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
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[Begin segment reviewed under deed of gift]

-Support for Bush
-John N. Mitchell
-Bush appointment
-Announcement

[End of segment reviewed under deed of gift]
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The President's schedule
-Blair House reception honoring administration officials from California
-Arrangements
-Departure for Camp David
-Helicopter
-The President’s appreciation
-Hand-shaking
-Well-wishes for Robert H. Finch
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Apr.-08)

Conversation No. 817-16 (cont’d)

-Departure for Camp David
-Haldeman’s request
-John D. Ehrlichman
-Frederick V. Malek

Second term reorganization
-Malek
-General Services Administration [GSA]
-Donald H. Rumsfeld
-Job offer
-Louise Gore
-Dr. James R. Schlesinger, Jr.
-Conversation with Haldeman
-[Central Intelligence Agency ] [CIA]
-Atomic Energy Commission [AEC] chairmanship
-Defense Intelligence Agency [DIA]
-Cuts
-Future
-Joint Chiefs of Chiefs [JCS]
-Intelligence capability

Henry A. Kissinger entered at 12:22 pm.

Vietnam negotiations
-Kissinger's meeting with Nguyen Phu Duc
-US policy toward South Vietnam
-Bilateral deal
-Prisoners of War [POWs] for US Withdrawal
-Continuation of war
-US military aid
-Cut off of funds
-Congressional relations
-North Vietnamese demand
-Cut off of funds
-Congressional relations

The President’s schedule
-Request for [Duc and Tran Kim Phuong]

Haldeman left at 12:22 pm.
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Apr.-08)

Conversation No. 817-16 (cont’d)


The President’s schedule
-Possible meeting with Nguyen Van Thieu
-Midway
-Kissinger’s meeting with Duc

Vietnam negotiations
-Hoang Duc Nha
-Richard Wagnerian drama
-Settlement agreement
-Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
-Quality
-Continuation of war
-US economic aid
-Cut off of funds
-Congressional relations
-Duc’s and Tran Kim Phuong’s understanding
-Congressional relations
-The President's Meeting with Duc
-Effect
-South Vietnamese delay
-The President’s schedule
-Possible meeting with Thieu
-Conclusion
-Presentation to South Vietnamese Representatives
-The President’s possible meeting with Thieu
-Continuation of war
-US economic aid
-Cut off of funds
-Kissinger’s meetings with the North Vietnamese
-Message
-North and South Vietnamese parties
-Possible breakdown in negotiations

Duc, Phuong and Haig entered at 12:26 pm. Stephen B. Bull and White House photographer was
present at the beginning of the meeting.

Vietnam negotiations
-Kissinger's briefing of the President
-The President’s appreciation for Duc’s effort
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Apr.-08)

Conversation No. 817-16 (cont’d)

-Settlement agreement
-Bilateral deal
-Continuation of war
-Qualification
-Three points of Thieu
-Forthcoming talks
-Possible North Vietnamese adamancy
-Continuation of war
-The President’s May 8, 1972 proposals
-Thieu’s view
-Immediate death
-Compared to slow death
-Possible military solution
-POWs for the cessation of US bombing and mining
cease-fire
-Cease-fire
-Violations
-Retaliation
-Bombing and mining
-Impact on North Vietnam
-Cessation
-Impact on South Vietnam
-The President’s recent meeting with the JCS
-Review of agreement
-Violations
-US responses
-Legal bases
-Gen. Creighton W. Abrams, Jr.’s view
-North Vietnamese infiltration
-Cambodia Laos provisions
-Demilitarized Zone [DMZ]
-US intelligence capability
-Contingency plans
-Air
-Details
-Revelation
-Melvin R. Laird
-Support for South Vietnam
-Meetings with Congressional “hawks” on Armed Services
Committees
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Apr.-08)

Conversation No. 817-16 (cont’d)

-Foreign Affairs and Foreign Relations Committees
-“Doves”
-Agreement terms
-Cease-fire, return of POWs
-Political provisions
-Thieu retention
-Government of Vietnam [GVN] Control of
foreign and domestic policy, veto over
political process
-Publicity
-Cut off of funds
-Settlement agreement
-Thieu’s concern
-US economic and military aid
-Cut off
-GVN
-Survival
-Thieu’s view
-US Support
-Cease-fire, return of POWs
-Political provisions
-South Vietnamese self-determination
-GVN
-Retention
-Forthcoming talks
-The President’s written instructions for Kissinger
-The President’s meeting with Kissinger [in Key Biscayne]
-Remaining point
-Framework
-Conclusion
-The President’s possible meeting with Thieu
-Midway
-Purpose
-US military and economic support
-US response to violations
-Retaliation commitment
-Interpretation
-Press relations
-Timing
-Trip to Hanoi
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Apr.-08)

Conversation No. 817-16 (cont’d)

-JCS
-Public relations
-Thieu's relationship with the President
-The President’s judgment
-Communists
-Politics
-The President's support
-Quality
-The President's possible meeting with Thieu
-Publicity
-Saigon
-Signing
-Timing
-Thieu’s possible rejection
-The President’s disagreement
-Consequences
-Termination of US economic aid
-US withdrawal
-Termination of US military aid
-North Vietnamese violations
-Termination of US retaliation commitment
-Congressional relations
-Democrats
-Thieu’s reasonableness
-Changes
-Termination of aid
-Crisis
-Constraints on the President
-Hawks
-Support for aid termination
-Thieu’s possible support
-Consequences
-US economic and military aid
-Enforcement
-Violations
-US retaliation
-JCS contingency plans
-Thieu’s possible rejection
-Bilateral deal
-Separate peace
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Apr.-08)

Conversation No. 817-16 (cont’d)

-Consequence
-US assistance
-Termination
-Repetition of arguments
-The President’s possible meeting with Thieu
-Midway
-The President’s possible meeting with Thieu, Asian leaders
-Timing
-Bilateral deal
-Thieu’s relationship with the President
-Trust in the President
-Alliance with the US
-The President’s commitments
-Limits
-Congressional termination of aid
-Forthcoming talks
-North Vietnamese
-Three points of Thieu
-Reference to Provisional Revolutionary Government [PRG] as
government
-Text
-Preamble
-Priorities
-Reference to PRG
-Text
-Compared to preamble
-Possible North Vietnam claim
-Two governments in South Vietnam
-US unilateral statement
-Interpretation of text
-US unilateral statements
-Historical record
-Strategic Arms Litigation Treaty [SALT]
-US and Soviet Union
-North Vietnamese protocols
-Recognition of GVN
-National Council of National Reconciliation and Concord
[NCRC]
-Issue of governmental status
-GVN sovereignty
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Apr.-08)

Conversation No. 817-16 (cont’d)

-North Vietnamese view
-Coalition government
-Three components
-Committee of National Reconciliation
[CNR]
-Appointments
-Redundancy of statement
-Effect of statement on South Vietnamese
-Compared to US view
-Article 8C
-North Vietnamese request for withdrawal
-Political prisoners in South Vietnam
-Concessions
-Provisions
-Changes
-Three components
-Respect for territories
-Interpretations
-The President's statements
-NCRC
-Political repercussions in South Vietnam
-Respect for territories
-Priorities
-PRG
-Preamble
-Respect for territories
-South Vietnamese interpretation
-Important Points
-The President’s experience as a lawyer
-Duc’s conversation with Kissinger and Haig
-Thieu’s sixty-nine changes
-Twelve changes
-Thieu's rejection
-Consequences
-Termination of economic and military aid
-Congressional relations
-Continuation of war
-Bilateral deal
-Continuation of war
-Return of POWs
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Apr.-08)

Conversation No. 817-16 (cont’d)

-US bombing, mining
-Time table
-Laird’s view
-Appropriations Committee
-Committee organization
-Cut off of funds
-Effect on US-GVN relations
-Bilateral deal
-The President’s May 8, 1972 proposals
-Continuation of bombing
-Congressional relations
-Cut off of funds
-Effect on Laos, Cambodia

An unknown person entered at an unknown time after 12:26 pm.

Presidential gifts
-Cuff links
-Pins for wives

The unknown person left at an unknown time before 1:02 pm.

The President’s schedule
-Budget

Vietnam negotiations
-The President’s possible meeting with Thieu
-Midway
-Settlement agreement
-Settlement agreement
-Success
-US power
-The President's political position
-Strengths
-Weaknesses

Presidential gifts
-Cuff links
-Presidential seal in flag
-Pins
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Apr.-08)

Conversation No. 817-16 (cont’d)

-Presidential seal on floor

Vietnam
-Settlement agreement
-Success
-US-GVN relations
-Thieu’s relationship with the President
-Congressional relations
-The President's and Thieu’s enemies
-Press
-Interest in failure

Tricia Nixon Cox's schedule
-The President's meeting with Haig

The President's meeting with Kissinger
-Timing
-Meeting with Haig

Duc, Phouong and Kissinger left at 1:02 pm.

Tricia Nixon Cox’s schedule

Bull entered at an unknown time after 1:02 pm.

The President’s schedule
-Trip to Florida
-Departure time

Items for the President’s schedule
-Alexander P. Butterfield

Bull left at an unknown time before 1:11 pm.

Kissinger
-Health
-Haig’s conversation with Haldeman
-Vacation
-Meeting with the President, November 29, 1972
-Oriana Fallaci article
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Apr.-08)

Conversation No. 817-16 (cont’d)

-Explanation
-The President’s disagreement
-Egotism
-Emotional highs and lows
-Haig’s view
-Haig’s conversation with Haldeman

Second term reorganization
-State Department
-William J. Casey
-Recent meeting with Kissinger
-Graham A. Martin
-Loyalty
-Deputy Under Secretary for Management
-Replacement for William B. Macomber, Jr.
-Trustworthiness
-Work with Casey
-William P. Rogers departure as Secretary of State
-Timing
-Informing Kissinger
-Casey
-Economic affairs
-Frank C. Carlucci
-Reports
-Lt. Gen. Vernon A. Walters
-Brazil
-Appointments

Tricia Nixon Cox's trip
-The President’s meeting with Jeanne W. Davis
-Arrangements

Vietnam negotiations
Settlement agreement
-Duc’s understanding
-Thieu’s possible rejection
-Thieu’s message
-Kissinger’s view
-Ultimatum
-Continuation of war, bilateral deal
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Apr.-08)

Conversation No. 817-16 (cont’d)

-Three principles
-The President’s May 8, 1972 proposals
-Using mining and bombing cessation
-Return to POWs
-Cease-fire
-Enforcement
-US-Soviet Union relations
-Possible breakdown
-North Vietnamese message
-Interest in settlement agreement
-Settlement agreement
-Congressional relations
-Gerald R. Ford
-Barry M. Goldwater
-Publicity
-Response to South Vietnamese rejection
-US aid
-Cut off of funds
-The President's possible meeting with Thieu
-Midway
-Purpose
-Negotiations
-Deadline

Haig’s schedule
-Vacation
-Timing

Kissinger
-Vietnam negotiations
-Difficulties
-First Round
-Paris
-October 1972
-Haig’s counsel
-1972 election
-Saigon
-Messages To North Vietnam
-Dealings with Thieu
-Work last week
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Apr.-08)

Conversation No. 817-16 (cont’d)


Vietnam negotiations
-Kissinger’s meetings in Paris
-Haig’s schedule
-Haig’s schedule
-Meetings
-Settlement agreement
-Delay
-Thieu
-Thieu's acceptance
-The President’s meeting with JCS
-Thieu’s rejection
-Thieu’s acceptance
-Conclusion
-Communications
-Timing
-Thieu’s acceptance
-Possible delay
-Kissinger’s meetings in Paris
-Thieu’s rejection
-Bilateral deal
-POWs for withdrawal, end of US mining and bombing
-End of war
-Termination of US economic aid

Haig left at 1:11 pm.