458–10

Conversation No. 458-10

Date: February 25, 1971
Time: 5:05 pm - 5:43 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with David M. Kennedy and General Alexander M. Haig, Jr.;No.
Conv. the 458-9
White (cont.)
House photographer was present at the beginning of the meeting

Greetings
-Introductions

Kennedy’s forthcoming trip to Vietnam
-Travel schedule
-Vietnam
-Indonesia
-Micronesia

An unknown woman [Nellie L. Yates] entered at an unknown time after 5:05 pm

-Length of flight
-Length of trip

The unknown woman [Yates] left at an unknown time before 5:43 pm

-Ellsworth F. Bunker
-Assistance
-Goals of trip
-Economic conditions
-Evaluation
-US officials
-South Vietnamese officials
-Vietnamese economic policy
-Post-withdrawal problems
-South Vietnamese domestic problems
-Economic policy

United States’ aid program to Vietnam
-General Nguyen Van Thieu
-Kennedy’s conversation with Thieu
-President’s policy
 13

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



-Economic aid
-Military aid
-Importance of economic policy
-Compared to Korea
-Economics
-Evaluation
-Ability of South Vietnamese to manage their economy
-Different assessments
-Possible solutions
-US advisory group
-Kennedy
-President’s concern
-Post-withdrawal problems
-Goal of Kennedy’s trip
-Personnel evaluation
-South Vietnamese officials
-Bunker
-President’s fear
-South Vietnamese economy
-Communists

Kennedy’s trip to Vietnam
-Goals
-Haig’s view
-Location of expertise
-[Forename unknown] Cooper
-South Vietnamese officials
-Vietnamese election
-Thieu
-Possible effect of economic policy
-US aid
-State Department
-US goal
-Economic self-sufficiency
-Ability of South Vietnamese
-United States’ staff in Vietnam
-Economists
-General Creighton W. Abrams, Jr.
-Compared to Korea
-Henry J. Tasca
-Bert S. Cross
-Need for more economic knowledge
 14

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



-South Vietnamese
-Vietnam
-Corruption
-Vietnamese economy
-World Bank
-International Monetary Fund [IMF]
-Asian respect for age
-Bunker Conv. No. 458-10 (cont.)
-Possible US economic advisors
-Cross
-Robert C. Tyson
-Possible position
-Geneva Conference role

United States’ economic advice
-Business
-Expertise
-State Department
-Economic expertise
-Maurice H. Stans
-Commercial attaché
-State Department view
-President’s view
-Kennedy’s role
-William P. Rogers
-U. Alexis Johnson
-Importance of economics
-Foreign service
-President’s view

Kennedy’s forthcoming trip to Indonesia
-Commercial attaché
-Kennedy’s goals
-Evaluation
-American businessmen

Kennedy’s forthcoming trip to Micronesia
-Self government
-President’s view
-Kennedy’s forthcoming trip
-Hawaii
-President’s position
 15

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



-Okinawa
-Haig’s view
-Xenophobia
-Size
-Guam
-Hawaii
-Relationship with United States
-Role of Peace Corps Conv. No. 458-10 (cont.)
-Kennedy speeches
-Future
-Welfare
-US aid

Kennedy’s forthcoming trip to Hong Kong
-Meeting with Chinese businessmen
-Harold Lee
-Kennedy
-Lee’s views
-Forthcoming cable from the President to Lee
-Background
-J. William Fulbright

Marjorie P. Acker entered at an unknown time after 5:05 pm

-Cable from the President
-Rose Mary Woods
-Meeting with Kennedy
-Lee’s views
-US-Chinese relationship

Acker left at an unknown time before 5:43 pm

-Trade
-People’s Republic of China [PRC]
-Taiwan contacts
-Consul General
-Kennedy’s schedule
-Kennedy’s entourage
-Department of Treasury personnel
-Department of State personnel
-Economists
-Linden Johnson (American businessman)
 16

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



-Possible meeting with Kennedy

Kennedy’s forthcoming trip to Far East
-Singapore
-Briefing
-Lee Kuan Yew
-President’s view
-Compared to Malaysia Conv. No. 458-10 (cont.)
-Kennedy’s meeting with Yew
-The President
-US-Singapore relations
-Military
-Kennedy’s conversations with foreign leaders
-Report to the President
-Confidentiality
-Reasons
-Military survey team

Kennedy’s possible trip to Thailand
-Kennedy’s conversation with Thai leaders


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

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[National Security]
[Duration: 15s ]


THAILAND


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1

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


-Possible state visit
 17

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



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

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
[National Security]
[Duration: 16s ]


THAILAND Conv. No. 458-10 (cont.)


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2

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


-Weather
-Bali (Indonesia)

Kennedy’s visit to Far East
-Need for relaxation
-Southeast Asian contacts
-L. Johnson
-H. Lee
-Hong Kong

Kennedy’s previous trip to Mexico
-Length of stay

Lockheed-Rolls Royce
-George R. S. Baring [Earl of Cromer]
-Henry A. Kissinger
-Kennedy’s involvement
-David Packard’s involvement
-Lockheed
-Latest reports
-Peter G. Peterson
-Kennedy’s involvement
-John B. Connally
-Schedule

Kennedy’s role
-Special assignments
 18

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



-Forthcoming trip to Far East
-Conversations with foreign leaders
-Report to the President
-Messages
-Confidentiality

The President’s previous visit to Far East
-Japan Conv. No. 458-10 (cont.)
-Kennedy

Woods entered at an unknown time after 5:05 pm

Cable to L. Johnson
-Kennedy visit to Hong Kong

Woods left at an unknown time before 5:43 pm

Farewells

Kennedy and Haig left at 5:43 pm