862–16

Conversation No. 862-16

Date: February 23, 1973
Time: 12:55 pm – 12:57 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Henry A. Kissinger and John A. Volpe.

Volpe’s visit
-Report
-Kissinger
-Relations with US

US Ambassadors to Latin America
-Brazil
-Leadership
-William M. Rountree
-Capabilities
-Volpe’s schedule
-Letters
-Venezuela
-Argentina
-Brazil
-Air traffic control project
-Loss of contract
-Raytheon Corporation of Massachusetts
-Charlie Adams
-US firms
-French contract
-Reopening of negotiations
-Contract
-Growth potential
-Amazon River developments
-Trans-Amazon highway
-Volpe’s travel

Manolo Sanchez entered at an unknown time after 12:57 pm.
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Jan.-10)
Conversation No. 862-16 (cont’d)




Message for Volpe

Sanchez left at an unknown time before 1:10 pm.

Latin America
-Brazil
-Importance
-Emilio Garrastazu
-Visit by President
-Mexico
-Luis Echevarria Alvarez
-Statements regarding US

Volpe’s job as ambassador
-Promotion of US

Italy
-Political situation

European nations
-Electoral politics
-Great Britain
-Election
-Greece
-Turkey
-Spain
-Socialist

Italy
-Economically oriented
-Parties, Interests
-Volpe’s task
-Ties to political parties
-Party shifts
-Jeopardy
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Jan.-10)
Conversation No. 862-16 (cont’d)



-Economic potential
-Ties to West
-Support for Andreotti
-Meeting with Andreotti, Christian Democratic Deputies, Industrialists
-Transportation Secretary
-Pride in US
-Italian history
-Andreotti
-Stability
-Congress of Christian Democrats
-Timing
-Fall of government
-US position regarding Andreotti


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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[National Security]
[Duration: 22 s]

ITALY

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1

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-Cautions
-Leaks
-Corruption
-Reputation
-Industry, economy
-Politics
-Compared with Ancient Rome
-Industry
-Politics
 -32-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Jan.-10)
Conversation No. 862-16 (cont’d)



-Leaders
-Bureaucracy
-Volpe’s view

Volpe’s role
-Andreotti
-Meetings

Prime Ministers
-Cabinet
-Opposition party members
-Former prime ministers
-[First name unknown] Ashburg [?]

Kissinger's meeting with David K. E. Bruce
-Timing
-Meeting with the President
-Radio talk

Charles G. (\"Bebe\") Rebozo
-Business
-Women

Kissinger left at 1:10 pm.

Unknown woman
-Foreign Service

Volpe
-Support for the President
-Ambassadorship
-President’s achievements
-Vietnam
-Critics
-Prisoners of War [POWs]
-Impression
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Jan.-10)
Conversation No. 862-16 (cont’d)



-Pride

State Department
-European affairs
-William P. Rogers
-Walter J. Stoessel, Jr.
-William J. Casey
-Kenneth D. Rush

European Community
-Volpe’s work
-Year at Europe
-Importance
-Relations with US
-Economic confrontation

Volpe’s job as ambassador

Peter G. Peterson
-International monetary situation
-Volpe’s request for reports
-Travels
-Italy, France

People’s Republic of China [PRC]
-Navigation system
-Kissinger’s letter to Volpe
-Defense Department
-Conflict
-Usefulness
-Peace
-Effect on US labor

Volpe’s meeting with George Meany
-Work with Meany
-Bill Driggs [?]
 -34-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Jan.-10)
Conversation No. 862-16 (cont’d)



-State Department
-Free Labor Movement
-Union cooperation
-Italy
-Communists
-Christian Democrats
-Numbers
-US policy

Poles
-Businessman

US contacts abroad
-Work with Volpe

News summary
-Patrick J. Buchanan
-Copy for Volpe
-Diplomatic mails
-Newspapers abroad
-New York Times
-Biases
-Walter H. Annenberg

Ethnics
-John A. Scali, Frank C. Carlucci
-Ella T. Grasso
-Poles
-New American Majority
-Michael P. Balzano
-ACTION posting
-Reputation

Volpe’s experience in business
-Ethnics
-Quotas
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Jan.-10)
Conversation No. 862-16 (cont’d)




Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 1:10 pm.

President's schedule
-Radio talk


Bull left at an unknown time before 1:37 pm.

Volpe's job

Ethnics
-Commission of Food Advisory, other commissions
-Cost of Living Council [COLC]
-Assistant to Volpe
-Support for Nixon
-Staff appointments
-Blacks, Polish-Americans, Italian-Americans, Slavs

President's administration
-Credit for domestic problems
-Transportation, health
-Long-range plans
-Congress
-President’s plans adopted
-Airport
-Speech
-Credit
-John D. Ehrlichman's interview in US News and World Report
Transportation Department [DOT]
-Environment
-Achievements
-Expressway
-Tennessee
-Highway safety
-Lives saved
 -36-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Jan.-10)
Conversation No. 862-16 (cont’d)



-Decline of auto deaths
-Air bags
-General Motors, Ford Motor Corporation
-Support
-Railroads
-Potential for nationalization
-Northeast corridor
-Volpe's report
-Savings over highways
-Service to public
-Public-private corporation
-AMTRAK
-Subsidy
-Success
-Congressional relations

Public transportation
-Budget
-General funds
-Claude S. Brinegar
-Highway funds
-Congressional relations

Volpe's experience
-Bismark chief executive
-Commission of Public Works
-Governor
-Cabinet officer service
-Staff meeting
-President's statement
-Cabinet officers
-Staff in DOT
-John McReynolds
-Joseph A. Bosco
-John Cole
-[First name unknown] Russell
 -37-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Jan.-10)
Conversation No. 862-16 (cont’d)




President’s call to Cabinet officers and families
-Volpe’s son
-Italian lessons
-Work
-Vacation

Staff members
-Power
-Attitudes

Congress members
-Contacts with White House

Cabinet members
-Support from President
-Telephone calls
-Encouragement

President’s travel plans
-Europe
-Timing
-France
-London
-Germany
-France, Italy

Europe
-Length of trip
-Difficulties
-Compared with USSR, PRC
-Italy
-Timing
-Election
-Andreotti
-Communists
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Jan.-10)
Conversation No. 862-16 (cont’d)



-Socialists

Volpe’s report
-Origin
-Massachusetts

President’s image

Volpe
-Role in Italian-American community

Scali
-United Nations [UN]
-Rebuilding
-Recognition of Italian-Americans
-Anglos
-Henry Cabot Lodge
-George H. W. Bush

Gifts
-Cuff links
-Ash trays
-Golf balls
-Presentation
-Expense
-Mementoes
-Meeting with Andreotti

Giovanni Leone
-Letter to President
-Reply
-Middle East
-Role of Italians
-Role of Volpe, Andreotti

Volpe's weight
 -39-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Jan.-10)
Conversation No. 862-16 (cont’d)




Volpe's return to US

Volpe left at 1:37 pm.