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1553015
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April 3, 1975 - Ford, Kissinger
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id
1553015
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document
title
April 3, 1975 - Ford, Kissinger
citationUrl
collections
Memoranda of Conversations (Nixon and Ford Administrations)
Ford Administration Memoranda of Conversations
subjects
Greece
Israel
Turkey
Arms transfers
Vietnam War, 1961-1975
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1553015
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3
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1975-04-03
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4
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1975
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day
3
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1975-04-03
month
4
year
1975
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1
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884ca271ef6ee9a7
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File scanned from the National Security Adviser's Memoranda of Conversation Collection at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
MEMORANDUM
DECLASSIFIED
E.O. 12958 (as amendad) SEC 3.3
THE WHITE HOUSE
MR # 10-114:25
WASHINGTON
state letter 8/30/10
SECRET/NODIS/XGDS
By dal NARA, Date 10/12/10
MEMORANDUM OF CONVERSATION
PARTICIPANTS:
President Gerald R. Ford
Henry A. Kissinger, Secretary of State
and Assistant to the President
for National Security Affairs
Lt. General Brent Scowcroft, Deputy Assistant
to the President for National Security Affairs
DATE AND TIME:
Thursday, April 3, 1975
PLACE:
The Oval Office
The President: I don't think we should restrict this to photographers.
The supermoralists are wrong, but I don't want the gifts in a dusty room
at State or sold at an auction.
Kissinger: I am returning the Nobel Peace Prize but the money is in a
trust fund so I will have to borrow to return the money. I will do it follow-
ing your speech Friday or Saturday.
Our friends the Israelis -- now that they have their second wind - - they
are putting out vicious stories. The Newsweek stories about the Vice
President, proximity talks, my vetoing Allon, etc. This of a piece with
what Garment told me -- they are withdrawing their protection from me.
The new line is that it was all a misapprehension. None of this is crucial,
but it shows they are going on the offensive. What they briefed O'Neill
was a pack of lies.
We must get a handle on military shipments. Now the estimate is a four
weeks war. We made a serious mistake. I should have had you say to
Rabin we love you, and we will ship when you make an agreement.
The President: What are the options and how will the shipments correlate
with the options?
CLASSIFIED BY Henry A. Kissinger
EXEMPT FROM GENERAL DECLASSIFICATION
SECRET/NODIS/XGDS
SCHEDULE OF EXECUTIVE ORDER 11652
EXEMPTION CATEGORY 5(b) (1,3)
AUTOMATICALLY DECLASSIFIED ON Imp. to det.
SECRET/NODIS/XGDS
2
Kissinger: We will do a paper for you.
The Greeks and Turks are moving to a crisis over Aegean. The Greeks
are denying overflight rights and the Turks are ignoring it. I think we
should send sharp notes to each of them.
The Turkish Government has some wild splinter groups in it. It may
refuse any concessions on Cyprus -- they don't have a vote of confidence
yet. I think they will start closing our bases within a month and once
they do that, the momentum starts. Then I am afraid that they will move
militarily before they run out of spare parts.
The President: Would they take some Aegean Islands? They certainly have
the military ability.
Kissinger: There is no comparison between the value of Turkey and
Greece.
LIBRAT GERALD
You asked what other Presidents would do in Indochina. None of them
have been in your position. Ike would have moved carriers in, B 52s,
and sent sharp notes to the Soviet Union, China and North Vietnam
there wouldn't have been an offensive.
You have the option, though. You can say you weren't a part of this
awful mess. You feel it has to come to an end and you are just able to
get all out the ones who want to get out.
The President: To tell the American people we are going to bug out at
this late date -- I just can't do it.
Kissinger: The McGovern trend is beginning to win. The Paris agreement
wasn't bad if it had been kept. It was working well until last summer.
The President: My determination is to stay with it. Ask for the money and
authority to evacuate. Then if everything happens as we foresee, I will
have done my best.
Kissinger: The Chinese are having friction with Hanoi. The Chinese
wished us well but couldn't do anything. The Chinese really wanted four
Indochina states.
The President: Have you thought further about that idea of a conference?
[With Max Fisher]
SECRET/NODIS/XGDS
2
NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION
Presidential Libraries Withdrawal Sheet
WITHDRAWAL ID 010813
REASON FOR WITHDRAWAL
National security restriction
TYPE OF MATERIAL
Memorandum of Conversation
CREATOR'S NAME
Ford/Kissinger/Scowcroft
DESCRIPTION
handwritten version of memcon #010812
CREATION DATE
04/03/1975
VOLUME
3 pages
COLLECTION/SERIES/FOLDER ID
036600113
COLLECTION TITLE
NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER. MEORANDA OF
CONVERSATIONS
BOX NUMBER
10
FOLDER TITLE
April 3, 1975 - Ford, Kissinger
DATE WITHDRAWN
02/01/2000
WITHDRAWING ARCHIVIST
LET