Secret White House Tapes

502–6

About this recording

502–6
  • President Richard M. Nixon
  • Henry A. Kissinger
  • Stephen B. Bull
May 20, 1971
Conversation No. 502-6

Date: May 20, 1971
Time: 8:38 am - 9:02 am
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Henry A. Kissinger.

President’s telephone call to George W. Ball
-Kissinger’s call to Ball

President's letter to Dean G. Acheson
-Substance of letter

Kissinger's call to Ball and John J. McCloy
-Drafting of letters
-Lauris Norstad

Administration's position a week ago

President's telephone call to Ball
-Ball's views
-Kissinger
-Senate
-White House relations with State Department
-State Department

State Department
-Clark MacGregor
4

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



-William P. Rogers
-John N. Irwin, II
-U. Alexis Johnson
-Relations with White House
-Kissinger's relationship with State Department officials
-MacGregor
-Kissinger’s meeting with State Department officials
-State Department Conv. No. 502-6 (cont.)
-Position on negotiations

Congressional affairs
-Kissinger's conversations with Charles McC. Mathias
-Mathias’ views on his amendment
-Hubert H. Humphrey
-Jacob K. Javits
-Co-sponsors
-Kissinger's view of Mathias amendment
-Humphrey's vote
-Edmund S. Muskie's vote
-Final votes
-Edward M. (“Ted”) Kennedy's vote
-President's successes
-Strategic Arms Limitation Talks [SALT] agreement
-Backing of \"establishment\"
-Ball
-Cyrus R. Vance
-Acheson
-McCloy
-McGeorge Bundy
-Rogers' strategy for dealing with Congress
-Implications for the White House
-MacGregor
-Rogers
-Michael J. (“Mike”) Mansfield

President's upcoming meetings
-President's remarks
-Kissinger's instructions on secrecy
-Cabinet
-Leaks
5

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



SALT agreement announcement, May 20, 1971
-Cabinet meeting
-Meeting of legislative leaders
-President's announcement remarks
-Soviet position on offensive and defensive weapons
-US position on offensive and defensive weapons
-Soviets public position and statements
-President's SALT initiative Conv. No. 502-6 (cont.)
-Involvement of Moscow and Washington
-Television
-Playback in Moscow
-Language
-Agreement, understanding
-Grammar
-Negotiations
-Treaty
-US and Soviet Union relations
-Future
-Goals
-Prospects for other negotiations
-Next round of negotiations
-Rewording of remarks
-Future US and Soviet Union relations
-Notification of Kissinger's staff
-Staff reaction
-Reaction of White House staff
-Price
-William L. Safire
-Reaction of Kissinger's staff to SALT announcement agreement

Congressional affairs
-President's call to Senator John C. Stennis
-Stennis
-Leadership
-Kissinger's conversation with Javits
-Stennis’ position on Mathias amendment
-Kissinger's call to Stennis
-Stennis’ views

SALT agreement announcement, May 20, 1971
-President's announcement remarks
-Exact wording
6

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



-Level of negotiations
-Extent of efforts
-Expression of commitment
Anatoliy F. Dobrynin
-Reaction of Kissinger’s staff

Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 8:38 am.
Conv. No. 502-6 (cont.)
Cabinet meeting
-President’s invitation to Rose Mary Woods

Bull left at an unknown time before 9:02 am.

An unknown woman [Marjorie P. Acker?] entered at an unknown time after 8:38 am.

Woods
-Location

The unknown woman [Acker?] left at an unknown time before 9:02 am.

Melvin R. Laird

Elliot L. Richardson

The President and Kissinger left at 9:02 am.
Secret White House Tapes |

502–6

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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