483–10

Conversation No. 483-10
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



Date: April 20, 1971
Time: 12:40 pm - 1:10 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Henry A. Kissinger, Marcel A. Naville, and Melchior Borsinger; the
White House photographer and members of the press were present at the beginning of the
meeting

Greetings

The President's previous meeting with Borsinger
-Hungary
-Unknown place
-Unknown occasion

Photo session
-Seating arrangements
-Kissinger

General conversation
-Spring time
-Kissinger

Work of Red Cross

Refreshments

International Red Cross activities
-Jordan
-Nigeria
-Vietnam
-South Vietnamese areas
-Hanoi
-Progress
-Contacts
-Prisoners of War [POWs]
-Thailand
-Paris
-North Vietnamese
-Confidence
-North Vietnamese view of the Red Cross
-POW pilots
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



-Possible Vietcong delegation
-PGR?
-Geneva
-Impartiality/neutrality
-Vietnam
-North Vietnam
-Alleged atrocities in South Vietnam
-Investigations Conv. No.483-10 (cont.)
-Civilian population
-US soldiers
-Rules and regulations
-Code of honor
-POWs rights
-Protection of civilian population
-Possible statement by the President
-Forthcoming conference in Geneva regarding international humanitarian law
-American experts
-Code of honor

Laos
-Paul N. (“Pete”) McCloskey, Jr.'s statement on bombing of villages
-US military activities
-Allegations of bombing villages
-Presence of North Vietnamese forces
-Numbers
-Individual acts
-Rules

Vietnam
-Communist atrocities
-Decapitations
-Starvation
-Catholic refugees
-Vietnamese standards
-Inspections by International Red Cross in South Vietnam
-US efforts/policy
-Instructions for US soldiers
-Humaneness

Laos
-US policy
-Review
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



-Rules of engagement
-McCloskey’s changes
-Bombing of Civilians
-Congressional committees
-Orders and actual practice
-Regulations for American soldiers

Anecdote Conv. No.483-10 (cont.)
-World War II
-German border
-Treatment of POWs
-Orders
-Restraint

Vietnam
-US POWs
-Relation to moral image of US Army
-US government
-Kissinger's conversation with Clark MacGregor

Pakistan
-Position toward International Red Cross

Brazil
-Political detainees

International Red Cross
-Visits to political detainees
-Greece
-Middle East
-Israel
-Geneva Convention on Arab civilian population
-West Bank
-Problems
-Improvement/adaptation of conventions
-Present-day conflicts
-Need for new protocols
-Civil wars
-Nigeria
-Pakistan
-Jurisdiction
-International war
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



-Civil war
-Staffing
-Geneva
-Professionals
-Field
-Number
-Problems
-Finances Conv. No.483-10 (cont.)
-Costs
-Credibility
-Avoiding double standards
-US and Europe

Vietnam
-Lieutenant William L. Calley, Jr. case
-Trial and conviction
-Review by the President
-Rules of engagement
-President's Quaker background
-Convictions of soldiers
-Publicity of Calley case
-U Thant's attitude

An unknown person entered at an unknown time after 12:40 pm.

The President's schedule

The unknown person left at an unknown time before 1:10 pm.

International Red Cross
-Vietnam
-Balance
-Atrocities
-POW situation
-South Vietnamese
-North Vietnamese POWs
-Possible US position regarding POWs
-Possible trade
-Unilateral releasee

Farewells
-Naville's role
 40

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)




Kissinger, Naville, and Borsinger left at 1:10 pm.