858–4

Conversation No. 858-4

Date: February 16, 1973
Time: 9:46 am - 10:32 am
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Sir Christopher Soames, Peter M. Flanigan, and Helmut (“Hal”)
Sonnefeldt. The White House photographers and members of the press were present at the
beginning of this meeting.

Bill signing
-Congress
-Impeachment

Meeting with William P. Rogers

Photograph session
-Seating

US relations with Europe
-William Wagner [?]
-John Talbert [?]
-Prior discussions
-Trade policy
-Edward R. G. Heath
-Year of Europe
-People’s Republic of China [PRC], Union of Soviet Socialists Republics [USSR]
-Dialogues
-North Atlantic Treaty Organization [NATO]
-Strategy
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Oct.-09)

Conversation No. 858-4 (cont’d)


-Evaluation
-European Parliament

US Isolationism
-Vietnam War
-Domestic issues
-Taxes
-Prices
-Prosperity
-Old internationalists
-Support of US, foreign aid
-Marshall Plan
-F. William Fulbright, Michael J. (“Mike”) Mansfield
-US trade policy
-Europe’s economy
-Communist threat
-Domestic priorities
-Ghettos
-Great Britain
-Heath
-Opposition
-Old internationalists
-Isolationists
-France
-Indochina, African colonies, Algeria
-Isolationist attitude
-Germany
-Divided country
-Economic successes
-Italy
-Scandinavia
-US-European cooperation
-Problems
-General Andrew J. Goodpaster
-NATO strength
-Unilateral troop reductions
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Oct.-09)

Conversation No. 858-4 (cont’d)


-Trade
-US labor and business
-New isolationism
-US isolationism
-President’s speech at the Pentagon
-Heath
-Commitments in Asia, Europe
-Long term effects
-Trade
-Living in terror

President’s role in world affairs
-PRC, USSR opening
-Western military, economic strength and unity
-Choen-Lai, Mao Tse-Tung, Leonid I. Brezhnev
-Understanding
-National interests
-US idealism

Duke of Wellington [Arthur Wellesley]
-Remarks

European Economic Community [EEC]
-Great Britain’s application
-Heath
-Soames’s past career
-Minister of Agriculture
-House of Commons
-European commission
-Soames’s role
-Significance for Great Britain
-Europe’s forum for discussion
-Monetary and political regime
-Authority over European trade matters
-Treaty of Rome
-Enlarging the EEC
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Oct.-09)

Conversation No. 858-4 (cont’d)



US relations with Europe
-Problems
-Monetary policies
-Trade balance
-US economy
-Budget
-Farm prices
-Inflation
-Japan
-US trade deficit
-Europe’s role
-Trade negotiations
-Advantages, disadvantages
-Tariffs
-Japan
-Political effects
-General Agreement on Trades and Tariffs [GATT]
-European Free Trade Association [EFTA] countries
-Free trade areas status
-Effects on trade
-Multilateral trade negotiations
-Deficit reduction
-Article 24-6
-Canada, Australia
-GATT
-Great Britain’s role
-Austria, Switzerland, Norway
-Free trade
-US State Department
-Article 24-6
-Trade negotiations
-US exports to Europe
-European tariffs
-Protectionist legislation
-Smithsonian agreement
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Oct.-09)

Conversation No. 858-4 (cont’d)


-Soames’s report to EEC ministers
-Balanced negotiating position
-Political problems
-Trade deficits
-Aircraft
-Agricultural products
-Japan
-Great Britain’s trade
-Deficits
-Currency reserves
-Devaluation
-Reliance on exports
-US image
-Market expansion
-Political importance
-Tariffs
-Soames’s schedule
-Heath
-George J. R. Pompidou
-Willy Brandt
-Great Britain’s entry into EEC
-Pompidou
-Brussels
-Agricultural states’ influence
-President’s talk with Heath
-Trade bill
-Votes
-Senate
-Compared with Europe
-Agricultural lobby
-British Parliament
-Germany
-Pompidou
-Byrd-Hartke bill
-Support from labor, business
-Public opinion about international economy
 -10-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Oct.-09)

Conversation No. 858-4 (cont’d)


-Japan
-Multinational corporations
-Small businesses
-Fear of European common market
-US support for Great Britain’s entry into the EEC

Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 9:46 am.

-Political significance
-Pompidou, Brandt, Giulio Andreotti
-Wall Street
-Economic foresight
-US crisis orientation
-Henry Fairlie’s “The Kennedy Promise”

Vice President Spiro T. Agnew’s location

Bull left at an unknown time before 10:32 am.

Trade negotiations
-Wall Street people
-Education
-Stock Market
-Agriculture
-Soybeans, bananas, oranges
-Political considerations
-US relations with Europe
-Confrontation
-EEC
-Japan
-Export domination
-Domestic market
-Access
-Third World markets
-Exclusive economic spheres
-Japan
 -11-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Oct.-09)

Conversation No. 858-4 (cont’d)


-Western competition
-Japan’s exports to Europe
-Compared to US experience
-Increase
-Market dominance
-Germany
-Zeiss
-Denmark
-Earth-moving equipment

Energy
-Competition for resources
-Japan
-Sources of oil
-Iran
-North Sea
-Saudi Arabia
-Political situation
-Mohammed Mossadegh
-Iran
-Political situation
-Great Britain’s oil imports

Great Britain’s system of economic preference
-Two categories
-Under developed Commonwealth nations
-Commonwealth sugar agreement
-Mediterranean
-Ties to Europe
-Talking paper
-heath

Latin America
-US interests
-Economic preferences
-Mediterranean
 -12-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Oct.-09)

Conversation No. 858-4 (cont’d)


-Heath
-Africa

Ties to former colonies
-Stability in Europe
-Great Britain, France, Netherlands, Belgium
-Diminished role of US in Africa
-Congo, Ghana

Black Africa
-Former colonies of Great Britain and France
-US interests
-State Department’s plans
-Upper Volta mission
-Aid for Chad, Kenya
-Political backlash

New isolationism
-Europe, US
-Need for leadership
-Heath
-Fight for markets
-Politics

President’s report to cabinet
-Protectionism
-Secretaries of Labor and Commerce
-US-Europe dialogue

Soames, et al., left at 10:32 am.
 -13-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Oct.-09)