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January 7, 1975 - Ford, Kissinger
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1552903
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January 7, 1975 - Ford, Kissinger
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Memoranda of Conversations (Nixon and Ford Administrations)
Ford Administration Memoranda of Conversations
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Israel
Cuba
Egypt
Soviet Union
Executive-Legislative relations
Middle East conflicts
Trade policy
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1975-01-07
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1975
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1975-01-07
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1975
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File scanned from the National Security Adviser's Memoranda of Conversation Collection at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
MEMORANDUM
THE WHITE HOUSE
DECLASSIFIED
WASHINGTON
E.O. 12958 (as amended) SEC 3.3
SECRET/NODIS/XGDS
MR # 09-145,# 23 # #
state rev. 3/10/04; DOE etr 10/21/09
By doe NARA, Date 12/2/09
MEMORANDUM OF CONVERSATION
PARTICIPANTS:
President Gerald R. Ford
Dr. 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:
Tuesday, January 7, 1975
9:18 10:18 a.m.
PLACE:
The Oval Office
The White House
Kissinger: Mike [Mansfield] is basically an isolationist, except on China
and Sihanouk.
I spoke to Dobrynin, which confirmed what I said yesterday. There is
severe disillusionment there with the United States. They won't change
their policy but they will change their expectations. They will be more
matter-of-fact. The press had been ordered not to criticize us and the
economic ministries had been ordered to steer business to us. Dobrynin
called home, and he says they most certainly will not accept the MFN and
credits under the Trade Act as it is now.
You must give a double assurance -- that the quantity of emigrants will
promote the purposes of the Act and that you have been given assurances
that liberalization is taking place.
Dobrynin suggests a warm letter on detente and the things which have
to be done on the Trade Act. I think you should write a warm letter and
express your disappointment with the Act and say that Kissinger will
describe the details. There is no reason for them to reply.
CLASSIFIED BY Henry A. Kissinger
EXEMPT FROM GENERAL DECLASSIFICATION
SCHEDULE OF EXECUTIVE ORDER 11652
SECRET/NODIS/XGDS
EXEMPTION 5 (b), (1,3)
AUTOMATICALLY CLASSIFIED ON Imp. to det.
SECRET/NODIS/XGDS
2
The Congress is forcing us into renewed risk of confrontation.
In the State of the Union Address, I would add a paragraph on Executive-
Legislature partnership, but say that it won't take the form of extreme
detailed intervention in the conduct of policy.
I have been thinking of a conciliatory speech, detailing these Congressional
restrictions and saying we have to be sensitive to Congress but they also
have a responsibility to discharge. For example: Egypt rejecting the
nuclear reactor -- so we give up leverage like we did on the Aswan Dam.
And Ecuador/Venezuela won't go to the Meeting of Foreign Ministers,
because of the ban on preferences for OPEC members.
And Simon keeps voting against these countries.
The President: Let's get him in here for a discussion of this OPEC
situation so we are on the same wave length. After the State of the Union.
Kissinger: That would be a good idea. There is no hurry.
Arthur Burns is seeing Schmidt this weekend on the lending facility.
Simon's nose is out of joint a bit, but Schmidt will ask for Burns and also
we don't want a government-to-government confrontation.
The President: There is another reason. Burns is worried about the
size of the deficit. I think Schmidt could do a lot of good with Burns.
Kissinger: Good. We might send Schmidt a letter ahead and say you
are heavily influenced by him.
The President: Our program is very compatible with this thinking.
Ash had a good idea yesterday to deal with the windfall money.
[Discussed more about Ash proposal.
Kissinger: The Democrats are going to be hit hard by your program.
They are playing this theme of indecisiveness.
The President: I plan to tell Mike.
SECRET/NODIS/XGDS
SEGRET/NODIS/XGDS
3
Kissinger: I am seeing Bob Byrd. I thought I would tell him my concern
about legislative activity.
The President: Good. I am more and more impressed with Bob. I also
am having the Speaker and A1 Ullman.
Kissinger: I thought I would see all the new Congressmen next week in
three groups.
The President: There are some far out ones.
Kissinger: Is it dangerous for me to do it?
The President: No. You should.
Kissinger: May I tell Simon you want Burns to go?
The President: Yes.
Kissinger: The Soviets have to keep detente going for political reasons,
but our hold on them is gone. These economic projects would have gotten
our hooks into them for ten years. The Chinese will be less scared now,
and we will have a rockier time with the Soviet Union. We must put a stop
to the disintegration of Executive authority on foreign policy.
Dinitz is seeing Schlesinger. He is playing the good guy. I think he should
be instructed to stonewall.
The President: Should I do it?
Kissinger: I think Brent should. On the F-14 and F-15, I hear Schlesinger
has given them pricing data. I think he should say he is not prepared to
discuss it.
What is your view on using the Vice President for meeting visiting digni-
taries? For example, the Sultan of Oman lunch.
The President: No problem; it relieves me from burdens.
Kissinger: On the State of the Union, we will hit interdependence, also
something on detente and improved relations with Japan and Europe.
Also the paragraph on Executive-Legislative relationship.
SECRET/NODIS/XGDS
SECRET/NODIS/XGDS
4
The President: I talked to Bob [Hartman]. This will fit right in.
Kissinger: I sent a letter to the Turks to get some movement.
Sadat has told Jordan he would be reasonable in negotiations. Maybe not
even make Israel totally leave the passes, but he mus t have movement.
He also thought that the Syrians would accept only a few kilometers in the
Golan. I think he may be right.
It is now becoming more clear that the reason Brezhnev cancelled was
that Sadat wouldn't give up on the step-by-step.
The President: Not because of sickness?
Kissinger: That was an excuse; if they had really wanted it, he would
have gone. Do you want to see the Irish Prime Minister? There is no
reason to.
The President: No. Is Moore a problem?
Scowcroft: His wife is sick.
The President: We are getting Dunlop. Jim Coleman will be going into
Transportation. I am thinking of Martha Griffiths for HEW. With a black
and a woman, we are turning things around.
Kissinger: They are outstanding appointments.
The President: Butz wants to leave in June.
Kissinger: Sadat has arrested 400 Communists.
The President: Is that public?
Kissinger: No.
The President: What would Israel have to give up on the Golan?
Kissinger: There are two big hills west of Quneitra. They are maniacal
about hills. I think we should do Egypt first and then either go to Geneva
or you take on Israel about the Golan. Or go to Geneva for a while and
let the pressures build a bit.
SECRET/NODIS/XGDS
SECRET/NODIS/XGDS
5
I would like to go to Ecuador and Venezuela and say you are sympathetic
to removing the inequities in the Trade Bill.
The President: Was that guy de la Pena?
Scowcroft: Yes.
Kissinger: On Cuba, there is a Foreign Minister's Meeting in March.
The Argentines want to invite Cuba. I think we should oppose. Instead I
think we should agree there that the lifting of the OAS embargo can be
done by a majority. If there is no movement in the OAS, more and more
of them will recognize Cuba individually and the OAS will look ridiculous.
Secondly, Cuba has sent us a message through Frank Mankiewicz that
they want to talk -- through a New York emissary. I thought we could
say we are willing to listen. This will get a slow-paced dialogue started.
Right now we have no means to communicate with them. We should stay
a half step behind Brazil. We shouldn't push Brazil and we should support
our friends who backed us.
The President: What would be the settlement down the road?
Kissinger: I am not sure you want to restore relations before the 1976
elections. I think we should tell them to pipe down in the press. They
had cartoons with Nixon's name written with a swastika. We may have
to permit American companies in third countries to trade with Cuba.
We will have to try to get something from Cuba -- release of prisoners,
settle some claims, open emigration -- something. We can keep them
out of the meetings in 1975.
The President: If we could get an ease of emigration and some claims
settled
Kissinger: Maybe a statement of non-intervention. Castro wants to
meet with me. I am opposed to doing that.
The President: I agree. Let's talk about those three things.
Kissinger: This week we will send a note to them saying we are willing to
explore what do they have in mind. This will test their security.
SECRET/NODIS/XGDS
SECRET/NODIS/XGDS
6
The President: How is Bush?
Kissinger: He is doing fine. I was impressed when I was there. Moynihan
will write quite a bit. He sent a two-page cable on PL-480.
I asked our Latin American Ambassador to say what the gripes are. One
of the biggest is the restrictions on aid. We will end up where the countries
think it is a liability to get our aid. Our best friends -- Uruguay, Bolivia,
Brazil -- all had major complaints.
We are having a WSAG on Vietnam. I plan to take a tough line. I assume
you are prepared to ask for a supplemental.
The President: By all means.
SECRET/NODIS/XGDS
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DECLASSIFIED
E.O. 12958 (as amended) SEC 3.3
MR # 09-145, #23
state rev 3/10/04; DOE ltr 10/21/09
By del NARA, Date 12/2/09
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