631–4

Conversation No. 631-4

Date: December 7, 1971
Time: 3:12 pm - 4:29 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Maurice H. Stans, Gen. Alexander M. Haig, Jr., and Peter G. Peterson;
the White House photographer and members of the press were present at the beginning of the
meeting

Greetings

Stans's trip to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR], November 20-30,1971
-Length
-Sweden
-USSR
-Poland
-Duration
-Sweden
-Courtesy call by Stans
-Poland
-Bank credits
-Debt
-Stans' report
-Export-Import [Ex-Im] Bank credits
-Romania
-Timing
-USSR
-Moscow
-Leningrad
-Azerbaijan Republic
-Baku
-Georgian Republic
-Tbilisi
-Duration of time
-Stans' visits with Aleksei N. Kosygin
-Length of meetings
-Proposed agenda
-US-USSR relations
-Trade
-Kosygin’s view
 8

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 631-4 (cont.)


-Working groups
-The President's forthcoming trip
-Timing of working groups announcement
-Political situation
-Importance and possible improvement
-Strategic Arms Limitation Talks [SALT]
-Commercial situation
-Letter to the President
-Contents
-Agreements reached during Stans’ visit
-Description of letter
-Stans's meetings with Minister of Foreign Trade
-Stans's meeting with the Ministers of Petroleum, Gas, Automobiles, Shipping,
and Standards
-Stans's meeting with the Chairman of the State Committee on Science and
Technology, The Chamber of Commerce, Foreign Trade Bank and the
Chairman of the Council of Ministers
-Azerbaijan and Georgian Republic
-US-USSR relations
-Kosygin's five-year plan
-Significance
-Supreme Soviet
-Helmut(“Hal”) Sonnenfeldt
-Stans' attendance at the Supreme Soviet
-Treatment
-Georgian Republic
-Entertainment for Stans’ group
-Plane
-Escorts
-Entertainment
-Pravda
-Stories about Stans’ visit
-Commercial relationship
-Trade
-Improvement of relations
-Most-favored nation [MFN] status
-Possible discrimination
-Export-Import [Ex-Im] bank credits
-Trade restrictions
-Possible negotiations
-Lend-lease debt
 9

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 631-4 (cont.)


-Potential settlement
-Working groups
-Minister of Foreign Trade
-US Department of Commerce
-Continuance of discussions
-Four members from each
-Location of meetings
-Joint trade ventures
-American businessmen in the USSR
-Special arrangements
-Discussed on fact finding groups
-Kosygin’s view
-Trade possibilities
-Peterson’s figures
-Possible conversation between Stans and Peterson
-President’s previous meeting
-Western Europe
-Amount
-Stans' goal
-Projections
-1975
-Poland
-Eastern Europe figures
-Comparison with USSR
-Vietnam
-Kosygin
-Grain sales
-Ex-Im bank credit
-Compared to industrial equipment
-Duration
-Poland
-Yugoslavia and Romania
-Duration
-Commodity Credit Corporation [CCC] credits
-Political value
-Amount
-Grain supplies in Eastern Europe
-Credit terms
-Maritime unions
-Factories and plants
-Off-shore oil operations in Baku
 10

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 631-4 (cont.)


-Steel mills, generator factories
-G.U.M store
-Travel restrictions
-Freedom for Stans
-Stans's talk with workers and shopkeepers
-The President's forthcoming visit
-Possible tone of reception
-Desire for understanding from all Russians
-Press
-Stans's letter to the Minister of Foreign Trade
-January 6, 1972 meeting
-Location
-Grain agreement
-Ex-Im bank credit
-Lend-lease agreement
-Pace of negotiations
-Offer of visit to the US
-Stans’ counterpart
-Timing
-The President’s forthcoming trip to the USSR
-USSR bank in the US
-Location
-Reciprocal basis
-Stans’ impressions
-Store merchandise
-Quality of merchandise
-Housing shortage
-Automobiles
-Five year plan
-Consumer goods
-Standard of living
-Factories
-Performance
-Profit motive
-Progress
-Poland and USSR
-Similarities
-Stans in Poland
-Apparent US-USSR differences
-Kosygin
-US business in USSR
 11

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 631-4 (cont.)


-Natural resources
-Gas
-Copper
-Diamonds
-World production
-Percentage
-Potential US rival
-Timing
-Issues
-Level of importance
-MFN status
-1951 trade agreement
-Kosygin’s view
-Congressional action
-Poland
-Romania
-Vietnam
-Trade
-US tariffs
-USSR difficulties
-Ex-Im bank credit
-Consumer goods
-Capital
-Joint ventures and credit facilities
-Export controls
-Ongoing reductions
-List
-Kosygin’s view
-Increase in scientific and technological cooperation
-Working group
-Space flight
-Pollution control
-Range of cooperation
-Trade agreement
-1936-1951
-Duration of US-USSR agreement
-Other countries
-Number of agreements
-Lend-lease negotiations
-State committee for science and technology
-Cooperation
 12

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 631-4 (cont.)


-Canada and France
-Potential working group
-US issues
-Access for us business
-Offices
-Lack thereof
-Pan American [PanAm]
-American express
-Telex
-Intourist
-MFN restrictions
-Market requirements
-Freedom
-Access to factories
-Bilateral procedures for settling commercial disputes
-Agricultural exports
-Lend-lease debt
-Joint ventures
-US equipment
-USSR natural resources development
-Mining of copper, nickel, chrome, gas and oil
-Pay back in product
-Including interest
-Long-term supply contract
-Gas pipeline
-Location
-Baltic Sea
-Analogy to Algeria
-Possible national security concerns
-Trade
-Proposed increase with the US
-Contracts to US companies
-Kama River truck plant
-Timing
-Minister of petroleum
-“Shopping list”
-Technology and equipment
-Cost
-Advantages of US
-Labor intensive products
-US buying of resources
 13

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 631-4 (cont.)


-Europe
-Joint ventures
-Other European countries
-USSR agreements with western countries
-Tupes of ventures and development
-MFN status
-Amount of trade
-Ex-Im bank credit
-Credit from other countries
-Economy
-Increase in productivity and trade
-Growth rate
-Projected amount
-Gross National Product [GNP]
-Japan comparison
-Kosygin's speech
-Five year plan
-Potential equivalent of US in production
-Potential truck plant
-Kama River
-Ford Motor Company
-USSR representatives
-Raw materials
-Titanium, platinum, copper, zinc
-Timber development
-US-USSR collaboration
-Significance
-Step up economic relations with US
-Develop greater understanding of US
-Technological growth
-Need to catch up
-Government
-Structure
-MFN status
-Limitations
-Possible psychological barrier
-American goods
-Equivalent amount
-USSR self-interest
-US economy
-USSR propaganda
 14

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 631-4 (cont.)


-Capitalism
-Possible USSR attitudes
-Stans’ conversation with Minister of foreign trade
-Press criticism
-The President’s forthcoming visit
-SALT
-USSR press towards the US
-Separation of commerce and political activities
-Stans's recommendations
-Fact finding group
-Continuation
-Ex-Im bank credit
-Step towards normalizing relations
-Romania
-Lend-lease debt negotiation
-Grains
-Five year agreement
-Value to US
-Export control lists
-Coordinating Committee [COCOM]
-Military hardware
-US-USSR high level working group
-Scientific and technological cooperation
-Travel restriction reduction
-Tourism
-Potential for buying more goods
-MFN status
-Lend-lease debt
-Johnson Act repeal
-Congress
-Private financing limits
-Negotiation of a trade agreement
-Establishment of US control
-USSR protection of copyrights
-Stans' report to the president
-Memorandum of conversations
-USSR trade agreements with other countries
-USSR joint ventures
-United Kingdom
-West Germany
-Italy
 15

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 631-4 (cont.)


-France
-Stans' letter to the Minister of Foreign Trade
-Kosygin
-Previous conversation with Stans
-The President
-Decision-making
-Possible tenure
-Democrats
-Future of US-USSR relations

The President talked with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman at an unknown time between 3:12 pm and
4:00 pm.

[Conversation No. 631-4A]

The President's schedule
-Meeting with Ronald L. Ziegler and Henry A. Kissinger
-Timing

[End of telephone conversation]

Stans' trip to the USSR
-Kosygin
-Conversation style
-Alertness
-Age
-Tea
-Bridges
-US
-USSR bureaucrats
-Minister of Shipping
-Age
-People’s Republic of China [PRC]
-Spain
-Age comparisons to USSR leaders
-Stans' forthcoming press meetings
-“Face the Nation”
-“Meet the press”
-Press conference
-Nature of Stans’ trip to the USSR
-India/Pakistan situation
 16

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 631-4 (cont.)


-Stans' report
-Guidance paper
-President’s instructions
-Recommendations
-State Department
-US bargaining position

Kissinger and Ziegler entered at 4:00 pm.

-Stans' recommendations
-Press
-Relations
-American businessmen
-Stans’ deal
-[Unintelligible]
-Length of trip
-Press interviews
-US News and World Report
-Interview
-Timing
-Stans’ relationship with the press
-Importance
-Grain credits
-Bank credits
-Joint ventures
-Long term financing efforts
-John [Surname unknown] telephone call
-Timing
-SALT
-Stans' report
-Copies
-Possible watershed in US-USSR relations
-Kosygin
-Optimism
-Entertainment
-Haig
-Press interviews
-Stans and Peterson meeting with Haig
-Stans’ possible comments
-Recommendations
-Briefing paper
 17

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 631-4 (cont.)


-Stans’ tone with the press
-USSR
-Possible MFN status
-India/Pakistan
-Stans’ possible comments
-Businessmen
-USSR learning US markets
-Kosygin's interests
-Politics
-The President's recommendations
-The President’s upcoming meeting with USSR leaders
-Thoughts for Stans
-European alliance
-COCOM
-American businessmen in USSR
-Department of Commerce
-Trade documentation center
-Poland
-State Department
-Value of trip
-Briefing the cabinet

Stans, Haig and Peterson left at 4:15 pm.

The President left and returned at an unknown time before 4:19 pm.

An unknown person entered and left at an unknown time before 4:19 pm.


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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 26s


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2

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 18

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 631-4 (cont.)


India-Pakistan situation
-Press conference
-Number of participants
-Backgrounder
-India as a country
-President’s instructions
-The President's trips to India in 1953, 1957, and 1969
-Backgrounder preparation for Kissinger
-Foreign aid
-Indira Gandhi
-Marvin L. Kalb
-Summarize the administration’s efforts
-Indians
-East Pakistan
-William P. Rogers
-Economic and military aid cut-off
-Kissinger's trip to India
-Pakistanis
-Kissinger’s conversations with the Indians
-Alternatives
-Military aid

The President talked with an unknown person at an unknown time between 4:15 pm and 4:19
pm.

[Conversation No. 431-4B]

Kissinger’s request for Haig

[End of telephone conversation]

Haig entered at 4:19 pm.

Kissinger’s schedule

India-Pakistan situation
-Press
-Edward M. Kennedy
-Intended action
-US actions
-Documentation
 19

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 631-4 (cont.)


-East Pakistan

Haig left at 4:20 pm.

India-Pakistan situation
-Press
-Ziegler’s conversation with Kalb
-Concerns from Kalb
-President’s schedule
-Transcript
-The President’s previous conversations with Gandhi and Indian officials
-USSR
-Kalb


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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
[National Security]
[Duration: 8s ]


INTELLIGENCE


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3

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-President’s instructions
-US influence
-United Nations [UN] observers
-Military and civilian governments
-Kissinger's meetings with Indian ambassador and the Pakistan foreign secretary in
November 1971
-Timing
-Refugees
-Political settlement
-Negotiations
 20

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 631-4 (cont.)


Haig entered at 4:23 pm.

-Aid program
-Amount
-Timing
-Bureaucracy
-Soviets and India
-Chinese and Pakistan
-US interests
-Joseph J. Sisco
-Kissinger’s plan
-Refugees

Kissinger talked with an unknown person at an unknown time between 4:23 pm and 4:29 pm.

Request for a call to Harold H. Saunders

[Conversation No. 431-4C]

[End of telephone conversation]

-Backgrounder
-White paper
-Bangladesh
-US contact
-Indians
-Gandhi
-Possible withdrawal of forces
-Difference of opinion
-UN
-Support of Administration’s position
-General assembly
-Kissinger's talk with George H. W. Bush
-Vote
-Kennedy
-Possible actions taken by the Administration
-USSR
-Indians
-Message
-Kissinger’s forthcoming briefing
 21

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 631-4 (cont.)


Ziegler, Kissinger and Haig left at 4:29 pm.