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    "title": "September 12-17, 1970 [2 of 2]",
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    "ocrText": "Telecon\nThe President\n9/15/70 6:50 p.m.\nP: I have sort of mixed emotions in one sense. I don't know whethr\nBill is thinking of this because he wants to get off the cease-fire kick. In\none sense the war is rather cool at the moment. It might be as well not to\ndo anything.\nK: I don't think they want off cease-fire. In fact they are already\nstarting Bunker down that road.\nP: Then I've got to talk to Bruce. The other thing--with regard to\nParis: we have got to think of our relations with the French. If there is\nany real sensitivity on this thing, it's worth kissing them on the tail.\nK: No, I was thinking of turning this thing off. As a matter of fact,\nI was talking to the French Ambassador while you were calling me. I think\nperhaps we ought to turn off Paris.\nP: But if it will do any good I'm all for it.\nK: I understaad.\nP: The problem is, does it make the Germans mad if we go to Paris?\nThe Germans are more important than the French. But on the other hadd,\nwe've worked txlxex Pompidou over the coals lately.\nK: The pros and cons are as you put them. Itwo would make the\nGermans and Dutch mad.\nP: Yes, it would made them but basically otherwise it is limited to\ntwo heads of government I haven't talked to since they became heads of\ngovernment. It makes good sense that.way. We can bring Bruce over to\nIreland. That would be good. The Irish will love it.\nK: The security would be good there too. They won't bug it.\nP: And the French haven't been that good to us either.\n]\nK: I can put it on myself, say my response was just exploratory.\nReproduced at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library\nDECLASSIFIED\nThis document has been reviewed pursuant to Executive Order 13526 and has been determined to be declassified.\nTelecon\nThe President\n9/15/70 6:50 p.m.\npage 2\nP: You can say I can't do it justice at this time, but I will be\nd elighted to have another visit at his convenience. Let's leave it that\nway. I want to see Bruce\nwish I could do it without Habib though.\nK: You can do it without Habib\nbut we've already announced\nthat both would meet with you.\nP: Okay then, Bruce and Habib in Ireland. I think that's a nice\ntouch, don't you? It doesn't build it up as too big a thing.\nK: Right. But I think we ought to make the announcement that week.\nWe ought to make it as a low-key move, get on television for five minutes.\nP: That will be the report of the trip. Okay, let's do it. And Bruce\nand Habib in Ireland.\nReproduced at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library\nDECLASSIFIED\nThis document has been reviewed pursuant to Executive Order 13526 and has been determined to be declassified.\nTelecon\nMr. Kissinger\nU. Alexis Johnson\n9/15/70; 6:50 p.m.\nJ: My favorite subject -- Thai SGU's. I keep getting cables from Unger.\nK: I think this is going to kill it all.\nJ: There are two choices: 1) I am entirely convinced that unless we can\nconvert the Thai Khmers into SGU we will lose them entirely, and 2) we\nhave opportunity now of converting Long Tien Thais into SGU's also and\ngetting our costs down as well. In simple terms -- convert Thai Khmers\ninto SGU's or lose them entirely. I think the SGU's make more sense\nfrom any standpoint.\nK: That's probably true. Okay.\nokay. I just hate to go to the President\nif he asks me about them that they just disappeared.\nJ: Just tell him we have cheaper SGU's.\nK: Your judgment is that they will disappear?\nJ: Yes, they are going to let them go back to their homes and store the\nweapons.\nK: Okay, why don't we go ahead.\nJ: I have no questions -- the others have no questions -- is it okay for me\nto send it?\nK: Yes.\nJ: Okay, I will send it out tonight.\nfeg\nDECLASSIFIED\nE.O. 12958, as amended, Sect 3.5\nNLN By per Hr. 6mar 05\nB\nDate\n25Jun07\nof 1]\nReproduced at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library\nDECLASSIFIED\nThis document has been reviewed pursuant to Executive Order 13526 and has been determined to be declassified.\nTelecon\nMr. Kissinger\nAmbassador Freeman\n9/15/70; 11:45 p.m.\nF: I've been waiting to see if there have been any developments.\nK: I have had a talk with Greenhill and we are meeting now with\nMoorer, Sisco, Packard, etc. We have answered all his questions\nand I don't believe there will be a call to the President.\nF: No business that you and I have to do tonight?\nK: No. As far as I think, I have answered all Greenhill's questions.\nIf you want to know the questions and answers, I will give them to you.\nF: I won't waste your time -- I will get them through the regular\nchannels in a little while.\nK: I don't think there will be any action. I told him the King will\nappoint a military government in about an hour and will leave the rest\nup to the Fedayeen.\nfeg\nReproduced at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library\nDECLASSIFIED\nThis document has been reviewed pursuant to Executive Order 13526 and has been determined to be declassified.\nTelecon\nBob Haldeman (while waiting for President to come to phone)\n9/17/70 8:53 a. m.\nH: They're going to wake him up now. I got your message but\nhaven't given it to him. Do you want me to have him get it before he\ntalks to you.\nK: No, I can run through that for him. I think we are in pretty\ngood shape. We just had a meeting of WSAG and everybody's aboard.\nThere is a unanimous opinion that he shouldn't come back this would\nbring us to war. I put this to everybody. He doesn't know we talked\nabout this last night, does he?\nH: No, they're just waking him up now. When you talk to him\ngo back to the beginning-- that you called me and we've been through the whole\nthing and you¹ talked to Rogers.\nK: And that really for once we are all dealing together. We had\na good meeting--everyone was together, because we all agreed we\ncan't let the King fail.\nH: All right. You're not moving troops in during the day today\nare you?\nK: No, we are getting it ready in a way that it can't be picked up.\nWe are moving the other aircraft carrier over so if the President\nwants to use American forces he's got them. We are stopping rotations.\nThere was a unit going to the Mediterranean for an exercise-. we are\nmoving them there faster than planned and we are keeping another\nbatallion there. This was in line; we are just stopping the rotation\naspect of it.\nH: Is there anything he needs to do now?\nK: No, we are meeting again at 3:00. Everyone is in good shape.\nAll we are doing is moving in a way so he can go in whatever direction\nhe wants. We also have briefed Ziegler\n[Operator broke in to say President was coming to the phone]\nReproduced at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library\nDECLASSIFIED\nThis document has been reviewed pursuant to Executive Order 13526 and has been determined to be declassified.\nSANITIZED COPY\nTelecon\nThe President\n9/17/70 9:00 a.m.\nK: Incidentally, that speech played bvery well in all the Eastern\npepers.\nP: Oh really. Good.\nK: That wasn't what I was calling you about. During the night\nJordan blew. The King moved troops into Amman; he has taken the\nwestern and southern suburbs and is advancing into the city. He\nseeme to be gaining the upper hand.\nSANITZED\nDuring the night I talked at length to Bob. We are saying you were\nwakened and informed of the situation but in light of the fact that\nHaldeman and Kissinger)\nthere is nothing you could do we/thought it best not to waken you.\nP: That's okay. I knew the King was planning it. We already had\nsigned the paper.\nK: Right. I talked to Bill, Sisco, Moorer and Packard everyone\nis aboard. They all recognize that it is a crisis.\nP: A crisis that's good.\nK: If the King wins, the peace offensive has a real chance.\nP: We've got to help him. How about the fleet?\nK: It's up there. One thing, everyone agreed you must not come\nback. XXX It would create a crisis atmosphere. We moved the second\ncarrier into the Mediterranean. We've got almost the entire Sixth\nFlexe Fleet near Cyprus now. There's another force with helicopter\ncapability on the Guam. It was going to go to the Mediterranean any-\nway and we are moving into that area.\nP: But this becomes necessary only if the Iranians or Syrians move?\nK: Exactly.\nP: If they move, my strong feeling at this time is that we should\nuse American air and knock the bejesus out of them\nK: That's our feeling.\nP: It would be a show of strength/ on our part.\nDECLASSIFIED\nSANITIZED COPY\nE.O. 12958, as amended, Sect 3.5\nReproduced at the\nThis document has been reviewed pursuant to Executive Order 13526 By and has been determined Date\nDECLASSIFIED Richard Nixon Presidential Library Hr.31 may a\nSANITIZED COPY\nTelecon\nThe Bresident\n9/17/70 9:00 a. m. page 2\nK: Well, there are strong arguments on both sides but nothing on\nthat will happen till you are back.\nP: The fact that the Israelis move\nhas other effects. I think\na move on our part shows guts, having to do with these hüjackers also\n.\nI think the U.S. ought to do something if it's air. If it requires men that's\nanother thing.\nK What we have done in this regard, we are acquiring the targets--\ngetting information for these air strikes and feeding them to the.\nas fast as we can. We've got to know where to hit.\nSANITIZED\n3.3(b)(1)\nP: The King's move is a result of our encouraging him, is it not?\nThat's the thing I'm thinking about. He ought to be backed up.\nK: We sent out a cable to that effect last night. We think the cable\nwe put out Monday stiffened his back, the one saying we can't tolerate\nthe taking of American hostages. We also authorized the Ambassador\nto tell the King that if he needs material support we will give it very\nsympathetic consideration.\nP: Where are the hostages?\nK: We don't know. So they are in danger. I have talked to the\nBritish--they are prepared to put out a five-power statement which\nis in effect the same thing as you said on Monday, that we hold the\nguerrillas responsible for the safety of the hostages.\nP: Yes, can't I say that now?\nK: Yes, Ziegler can.\nP: That we will hold the guerrillas responsible and have qim quote\nthe President directly.\nK: Right. We also have a package of what we think the King needs.\nP: On this one I am sure you are going to find Sisco would be all\naboard and Bill will be because it's the only chance for his peace offensive.\nSANITIZED COPY\nReproduced at the DECLASSIFIED Richard Nixon Presidential Library [NLN 04 - 01/ 5 : 2]\nThis document has been reviewed pursuant to Executive Order 13526 and has been determined to be declassified.\nSANITIZED COPY\nTelecon\nThe President\n9/17/70 9:00 a.m. page 3\nK: Exactly. If it fails the cease-fire and the peaee offensive are\ndead.\nP: It would be worse than before we started; the Fedayeen would\nhave the upper hand.\nK: It would push Nasser in a rediecal radical direction and would\npush the Soviets that way and would make the Israelis unwilling to\naccept promises.\nP: I want you to push through the bureaucracy my feelings, having\na landing team ready for evacuation. As far as their going in and\nfighting, that's another thing. This would get the Russians in, but\nthat's another side of it. This will show whether we have any stake at all\nleft in the Mediterranean.\nK: I have talked to Alex and Bill. Bill is all on board on doing the\nmaximum possible to strengthen the King. On the Israeli versus U.S.\nquestion I haven't talked to him in detail. I will get a reading on that.\nP: I think U.S. air has a lot to say for itself. It would be good in\nthe event they still have the hostages\nK: I think it would be a good idea if we told the Shah and gave him\nour approach. That would bring him into it and he could put troops on\nthe Iraqi border.\nP: And we will back him.\nK: Right. These are the measures we have taken. We will meet\nagain at 3:00. It was a worse situation last week. Then everything was\nfestering and we couldn't get a handle.\nP: What this is is a civil war in Jordan with Iraq and Syria in on it.\nHow about your calling Vorontsov and saying \"lay off boys. 11\nK: I think we should be enigmatic and say nothing. They will pick\nthis up.\nP: Okay, this will worry them. But we want the Sixth Fleet stuff in\nthe open.\nK: They'll catch it.\nReproduced al the Richard Nixon Presidential Library\n[NLN 01/5:3]\nDECLASSIMED\nThis document has been reviewed pursuant to Executive Order 13526 and has been determined to be declassified.\nSANITIZED COPY\nTelecon\nThe President\n9/17/70 9:00 a.m. page X4\nP: I want them to know we' re moving. I want everything that can\nbe done to be done in the open. The wear and tear on the nerves\nbetween the Syrians and Iraqis is very important.\nK: We can move it 12 hours early and get it picked up.\nSANITIZED\n3.3(b)(1)\n[NLN 04-01/514] -\nSANATED at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library\nDECLASSIFIED\nThis document has been reviewed pursuant to Executive Order 13526 and has been determined to be declassified.\nTelecon\nSecretary Kennedy\n9/16/70 9:15 a. m.\nSK: The other day at the\nmeeting with the\nPresident he mentioned this trip and that he is going to be in London\non the third. He wondered if I could be there.\nK: He mentioned it to me and I am talking to the British to see\nwhere Barber will be at that time.\nSK: He will be in Copenhagen and then come back.\nK: I am expecting an answer from the British today.\nSK: Well I am tentatively planning to stay over. I don't know\nwhether he will be talking to Colombo [didn²t get the rest of this\nthought or Mr. Kissinger's one-sentence reply because I had to answer\na question of someone in the office].\nReproduced at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library\nDECLASSIFIED\nThis document has been reviewed pursuant to Executive Order 13526 and has been determined to be declassified.\nTE LCON\nBill White/Kissinger\nmorning 9/16/70\nW: I talked to\nyesterday. I was writing about MacIntyre bringing Ky over\nheaxx here and taking a dim view. Maybe taking it to the Almighty.\nK: I wouldn't have stopped you.\nW: I would like to see you.\nK: Let's do it after that trip.\nW: After the European trip?\nK: Yes.\nReproduced at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library\nDECLASSIFIED\nThis document has been reviewed pursuant to Executive Order 13526 and has been determined to be declassified.\nTELCON\nMarvin **** Kalb/Kissinger\nmorning\n9/16/70\nK: I just wanted to check on one thing. When the President announced yesterday\nhis trip to Europe, I immediately saw it in a M. E. context. In checking with\na couple of people in State they waved off it but I am not off it. I consider it\nbrilliant to show the flag in this area.\nKAK\" My feeling is to trust my logic if my name is Marvin Kalb.\nK: He is showing concern in an area of great concern.\nHAK: In deep background, it's a very reasonable judgment but we couldn't\nsay that.\nK: Was there ever a time a konsideration of the President to visi t Cairo and\nTel Aviv?\nHAK: Not really It's been considered in government but nothing serious.\nK: Finally, what is the general sense of where we are going in Jordan?\nHAK: it's one of those situations that's building up and going up and down.\nCould build into confrontation book between the King and Feydeen or an uneasy\ncompromise. Very precarious.\nK: In the Dept. yesterday they said if Palestinians take control in large portion\nof XXX Jordan it could make a big difference. Or would it just make it impossible\nfor Israel?\nHAK: Make peace with Israel very hard. Palestinians want extinction of Israel.\nK: You don't have much tolerance for the v?ew that in time and with respon-\nsibility, the political course\nHK: To them it's not ideological. You have to give them credit for that.\nI can't say that it won't happen, but I wouldn't call that long-shot developing\ninto a posibive gambit.\nK: My only view is that it could have a positive result. I mean it would be worse.\nHAK: You know Marshall Shulman's story about the man who came =home and\nfound his wife in bed with another man SO he shot them both. When he told his\nbest friend, he friend said \"It could have been worse. \" The man said how\ncould it have been worse? The friend said \"If you had come home early the\nnight before it would have been me. 11 No, if you are asking for my opinion, I'd\nhave to reach far to find a positive evolution in a Palestinian victory. They (?)\nwouldn't hold still for that.\nReproduced at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library\nDECLASSIFIED\nThis document has been reviewed pursuant to Executive Order 13526 and has been determined to be declassified.\nMarvin Kalb/Kissinger\nmorning\n9/16/70\n-2-\nK: Would we?\nHAK: I don't know.\nK: If you were a reporter, would you go with the President on this trip?\nHAK: That's ahard question to answer. Yes, I think I would.\nK: I'm going to try to.\nReproduced at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library\nDECLASSIFIED\nThis document has been reviewed pursuant to Executive Order 13526 and has been determined to be declassified.\nTelecon\nKissinger/Sisco/Greenhill\n(Secure Phone)\n9/17/70 8:00 a.m.\nG: Can we discuss the present situation in Amman for a moment?\nK: Yes.\nG: What is the latest report you have from the city?\nK: That the army has secured the western hills and is moving on\nthe road past the Intercontinental Hotel into the city. It has secured\nthe southern hills but hasn't yet gotten into the heart of the city.\nG: Do you think the King's claim that he will have the hostages by\ntonight is valid?\nK: We can⁺t judge that. We do judge that the whole operation will\ntake longer than a day. But it is also our judgment that he can defeat\nthe Fedayeen by himself.\nG: I don't know whether you have seen the text of what we have\nproposed Bern Group\nshould put out this afternoon.\nK: No, I haven't seen it. I have Joe Sisco on the line also.\nG: Have you seen it Joe?\nS: No. I am up on all the wire traffic but haven't seen that.\nG: We have proposed that the Bern Group should put out the following\ncommunique: \"The five governments are ready to open negotiations upon\nthe proposal of the PFLP as soon as the PFLP provides the Bern Group\nwith all the demands including the release of the people the PFLPwants.\nWe have furnished\non this basis. Meanwhile,\nwe will hold the PFLP responsible for the hostages in Jordan. 11\nS: Offhand my reaction is that sounds very good. It's the precise\nposition we discussed with you and the others in yesterday's meeting.\nWe will need to discuss it here with the others. We want to evaluate\nthe impact of such an announcement on the evolving situation on the\ngroudd. My only own reaction is quite sympathetic and we will let you know.\nG: Okay, secondly, have you reeeived any representations from the\nGermans?\nK: No, to what effect?\nReproduced at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library\nDECLASSIFIED\nThis document has been reviewed pursuant to Executive Order 13526 and has been determined to be declassified.\nTelecon\nKissinger/Sisco/Greenhill\n(Secure Phone)\n9/17/70 8:00 a.m. page 2\nG: You will be receiving one to the same effect as one they sent\nto us. What it amounts to is that they are thinking if we can't keep the\nfive-power basis, we could proceed by a four-power or a three-power\none, or finally a two-power collective agreement for a unilateral agree-\nment for each of us to do the best with our hostages.\nK: If you have no other comments of a general nature I will return\nto the meeting I left for this conversation.\nG: Okay. Joe, we are of course you very concerned with the hostages.\nThere are three possible courses if you abandon the five-power approach:\nthe four of us could say that the European prisoners would be exchanged\nfor all the hostages except for the three Israelis.\nS: But those thore are also Americans.\nG: They are not pure Israelis?\nS: No, they are Americans.\nG: Then that would only be feasible for you if all the hostages, period?\nS: Right, this deal is not a deal for us. We're satisfied that those\ntwo or three have an American connection here, they carry American\npassports. That's the problem.\nG: But theoretically it's a possible deal for all the European prisoners\nif all the hostages?\nS B: But how does that differ from the announcement you were talking\nabout? If this deal were available\nwe've been trying to get it. But\nthe other side is insisting on this exchange.\nG: But in view of this situation they might agree. There is another\ndeal, that in view of the danger, Germany the Swiss and ourselves would\nswap our prisoners for our hostages, leaving you inprovided for. Finally,\nwe could agree among ourselves that no one would approach the other. XX\nS: I can tell you we have difficulties with all three. Moveover, your\ngovernment would want to weigh carefully the outcry in this country against\nReproduced at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library\nDECLASSIFIED\nThis document has been reviewed pursuant to Executive Order 13526 and has been determined to be declassified.\nTelecon\nKissinger/Sisco/Greenhill\n(Secure Phone)\n9/17/70 8:00 a.m. page 3\nyour taking this action. It would be strong and you should be sure that\nyour ministers understand that.\nG: But there would also be an outcry in this country. If we don't\nagree to bargain, our people get killed.\nS: But who knows whether a separate deal is really feasible?\nG: That's true, but people would say 'why didn't you try?'\nS: As soon as I'm out of this meeting we will consider the first\nproposal, the communique. But you should know that we have now\ngove to the Israelis directly.\nG: Saying what?\nS: Saying basically that we want to act together.\nG: Have you gone as far as to say that they must pitch in?\nS: Yes, for the first time we have gone to them for concrete and\nunilateral contributions.\nG: Well, Israel is saying to us that they can't agree to anything\nbecause they are waiting for you.\nS: We've gone now, so let's see what we get on that and also get\nback to you on the communique.\nG: Okay, let me recapitulate our conversation. You will consider\nthe test of the communique, you will continue saying to Israel that they\nmust make a contribution. And you will consider our other proposals.\nS: Yes, but our interim reaction to them is negative. Let's not\ntalk in terms of peoposals \"Line of thought\" is better.\nG: Okay. The Bern meeting is at 2:30 this afternoon.\nS: Okay, if we need an hour or two delay you'll understand.\nReproduced at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library\nDECLASSIFIED\nThis document has been reviewed pursuant to Executive Order 13526 and has been determined to be declassified.\nTelecon\nSecretary Rogers\n9/17/70 9:20 a. m.\nK: I just wanted to review the situation with you. There is nothing\nreally in addition to what we discussed last night. Alex and Sisco will\ntell you.\nR: I've already talked with them.\nK: The only thing I wanted to check out was between U.S. and Israeli\nair intervention, what is your judgment as to which would be preferable.\nR: I am in favor of the Israelis doing it. In fact it's almost com-\nmanding the reasons are so strong. It would be in line with their\nnational interests, it would help in preventing the Iraqis from having\na hand in the government of Jordan. The King can give as the reason\nthe Israelis are on his soil is because of the acts of the Fedayeen.\nThird, if we are going to have any peace, Jordan and Israel will have\nto work together anyway.\nK: That's right. No matter how we slice it the question would be\nwhat are we doing there.\nR: I think the national interest argument is very strong. Also,\nwhat if we failed; for Israel to bail us out would be awful.\nK: Yes. You and I have to stay closely in touch on this. The Pres-\nident's instincts are the other way, but he's not adamant.\nR: If we play it right, we may be able to pull out the whole thing.\nK: And if we pull it out the peace offensive has a real chance. It\nwould be good for credibility with the Israelis and show the Arabs that\nmoderation is the only course. And we would have a chance of getting\na government there that can make peace. We may come out very\nwell.\nR: That's what I think. In terms of our personnel: there's a total\nof 47. Twenty-some are in a special room which is locked and the others\nare in a place protected by the Jordanian army. We also have a report--\na TWA pilot to Beam (?) that all the hostages are in a safe place outside\nof the city.\nK: Good. The President is very anxious for Ziegler to reaffirm the\nMonday statement about the hostages and that we hold the guerrillas re-\nsponsible for their safeły.\nReproduced at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library\nDECLASSIFIED\nThis document has been reviewed pursuant to Executive Order 13526 and has been determined to be declassified.\nMr. Haldeman/Mr. Kissinger\nSeptember 17, 1970 9:35 a.m.\njlj\nK: I have been with the President and everything seems to be OK. I\nhave had a good talk with Bill and no problems. He knows that [we have\nto be strong. ] XX I think it is a good break if we do it in a tough manly\nway. Of course, if we fall on our face, but we won't because we won't\nlet it fail.\nH: How is the President tracking on this? Is he all right?\nK: The President is in good shape. He talked about the course he\nmentioned yesterday morning. I think he is softening though. After he\nhas heard everybody[I think things will be fine. ] I am having full plans\nmade to implement it if he orders it - we can do it.\nH: You know he is going to that newspaper at 11 o'clock.\nK: That should be very low key.\nH: Did you tell him that?\nK: No, but I have a call in to him and I will. The Viet Cong have made\na new peace proposal. It is still not acceptable but they are softening.\nH:\nmove.\nK: I am delighted with it. If we can do it and we will do it.\nH: Bill is along with you on it? No problem there?\nK: He is dead without it.\nH: But you do not know if he knows that.\nK: No, he knows. He does not want to be out in fXXXX front on this.\n[ He knows that we have to be firm on this. He knows if the King falls then\nthis will be the biggest\nin diplomatic history. ] In fact he is\nurging us on. If it fails - no worse than before. But it cannot fail. We\nwill not let it fail.\nH: Will you need the President today?\nK: Just make damn sure I can get to him on the telephone.-wherever he is.\nYou probably do that anyway but will you double check? We have a 3 p.m.\nmeeting this afternoon.\nReproduced at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library\nDECLASSIFIED\nThis document has been reviewed pursuant to Executive Order 13526 and has been determined to be declassified.\nH: He is free at 12 o'clock. 1-2 our time he is tied up. 2 until 5 is\nclear.\nK: I have a call in to the President now. He was in the shower. Can\nyou make sure with Coffee that he will get back to me?\nH: Yes, fine.\nK: Ok Bob.\nReproduced at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library\nDECLASSIFIED\nThis document has been reviewed pursuant to Executive Order 13526 and has been determined to be declassified.\nTelecon\nThe President\n9/17/70 9:45 a. m.\nK: I wanted to mention a piece of information connected with\nVietnam. The Viet Cong made a proposal\nP: I just called Bill and told him you and I had talked. His point\nis well taken too--at the present time we want our moves to be open\nbut we don't want Jordan to look like a puppet. I am not too xh sure\non that; I'm more interested in the effect on the Russians than on\nIraq and Syria.\nK: The aircraft carrier Guam was supposed to leave Friday\nmorning, but instead we are moving it out Thursday night.\nP: From where?\nK: Norfolk.\nP: Let's get them out. If we are going in for a strike it is not\ngoing to be for nothing. We've got enough 52s with bombs in Europe,\ndon't we?\nK: No, but we can get them over.\nP: Okay. I don't see this as just an exercise. If we hit we hit with\neverything we've got. I want a plan available so it's a massive strike--\nit's mainly psychological. Okay, go ahead with Paris.\nK: One other thing in connection with the Middle East first.\nMoorer says we could get a third carrier in within a week. XXWANX It\nwould be a strong move.\nP: Put it in. We're going there; I want to see a formidable display\nout there anyway.\nK: Okay. About Vietnam, the Viet Cong have made some proposals\ntoday that are still not in acceptable form to us but do conform to what\nthey saidto me. If we were to promise withdrawal by June 30, they say\nthey would stop military action against them. It's a sort of half-baked\ncease-fire proposal; it means they would give up their 6-month deadline.\nAlso they are not saying they will deal with any Saigon government that\ndoesn't include Thieu, Ky and Thiem. We still have the problem that\nyou identified but before they said they wouldn't negotiate with anybody.\nThey just may not be able to make a proposal we can accept.\nReproduced at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library\nDECLASSIFIED\nThis document has been reviewed pursuant to Executive Order 13526 and has been determined to be declassified.\nTelecon\nThe President\n9/17/70 9:45 a. m. page 2\nP: And they may be waiting for their meeting with you.\nK: That's right. But they are confirming publicly what they told\nme privately- - - so they weren't just stringing me along.\nP: Let's keep waiting a little while.\nK: Yes, the 7th of October is still three weeks from now, and the\nMiddle East will blunt the headlines on this.\nP: That's/ right.\nK: Finally, Bunder talked with Ky, offering him a dinner, and\nsaid he thinks Ky will finally agree not to come.\nP: That just postpones it.\nK: At the press today we low-keyed the immediate crisis. The\nRussians will pick it up.\nP: Right. I won't say anything out here.\nK: Bill thinks holding them responsible for the hostages is xexx\nvery important.\nP: That's right. You know the TWA pilot said the Americans are\nout of the city.\nReproduced at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library\nDECLASSIFIED\nThis document has been reviewed pursuant to Executive Order 13526 and has been determined to be declassified.\nTelecon\nDavid Frost\n9/17/70 ba. 10:15 a. m.\nK: Much as I like you I don't know if I can afford to see you any\nmore. Every time I see you something blows. I was called out of\nthe dinner and had to take the Joint Chiefs with me.\nF: I guessed that. When did you leave?\nK: Before you spoke. I got the food but not the speeches.\nF: It was such a delight to see you. I'm sorry; I do feel responsible\nfor the crisis.\nK: I knew things were getting serious when you arrived at the airport.\nF: Do things still look dark and dank? I am obviously responsible\nand I apologize.\nK: I may give you another ance if you come through the here.\nF: I feel like a reprieved convict. Is there any hope of your\nbeing in New York in the near future?\nK: There might be.\nF: I start this weekend my commute to London each weekend. Though\nI will be here in the States Sunday through Thursday each week, my flex-\nibility is somewhat less.\nK: I will come to New York.\nF: And you will be in London for a couple of hours?\nK: Yes, I am trying to break away from the party and stay over the\nweekend of the third.\nF: That would be lovely. There's a guest room at my house.\nK: Let's discuss that. In any event, we could have a drink. We'll\nget there on the third and if I can find a half-way honorable excuse for\nstaying I'll stay Saturday and rejoin my leader on Sunday.\nReproduced at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library\nDECLASSIFIED\nThis document has been reviewed pursuant to Executive Order 13526 and has been determined to be declassified.\nAttorney General/Mr. Kissinger\nSeptember 17, 1970 12 noon\njlj\nAG: I still have a Governor that is climbing all over me.\nK: I talked to Packard. I cannot order them to give it to Northrup.\nIt would be the biggest blow-up since TFX - they need to make a\nnew study, get the old study reversed. I think they are XXXXXXXX pulling\na fast one on us anyway.\nAG: What do you suggest that I tell Reagan?\nK: Tell him you are certain they are not going to award it to\nanother company. We are not even sure if we have enough foreign\norders for it to come through.\nAG: OK\nReproduced at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library\nDECLASSIFIED\nThis document has been reviewed pursuant to Executive Order 13526 and has been determined to be declassified.\nSANITIZED COPY\nTelecon\nSecretary Rogers\n9/14/70 12:15 p.m.\nR: I have two or three things. First, on the President's trip:\nWhen is the announcement?\nK: He is now thinking of doing it tomorrow. As soon as they tell\nus the times, we will tell it to Hillenbrand and from then on handle it\nthrough your channels.\nR: I think it's important in the announcing it to stress that it's\nnot related to the present crisis. Is it going to be played that way.\nI think we've got to be sure it doesn't build up tentions in the area.\nSay we've had this in mind for some time and had the invitations ex-\ntended. Any way we do it it will be construed by the press as an effort\nto strengthen our hand in the Middle East.\nK:\nWhen we get a draft we'll run it by you.\nR: Okay. Still haven't heard from the Yugoslavs?\nK: Yes, we just have, but they make the same point you do.\nR: I see. On the meeting with Golda Meir, I have talked with the\nPresident about this twice. He thought we should meet together, that it\nshould be the President, you and I and Joe Sisco. I think it would avoid\nmisunderstandings if we were all to be there.\nK: When we have talked about this he thought XXX him, Golda Meir,\nSisco, one other person and Haig. I wasn't going to be there.\nR: If we were all there it would look like we were trying to make\nsomething of it; furthermore it's not a state visit. I don't see any reason\nfor you not to attend. Who will she have?\nK: Rabin. If she has Eban you should be there, but I think it will\njust be Rabin. What she really wants is to be along with him.\nR: Which is what we don't want.\nK: Exactly.\nR: Has she indicated who she will bring?\nK: No. I'm trying to stay out of this one. She has indicated she'd\nprefer to talk alone, but if not that, then she'd bring Rabin.\nDECLASSIFIED\nE.O. 12958, as amended, Sect 3.5\nCOPY\nReproduced\nat\nRichard\nNixon\nPresidentia\nLibrar\nThis SANITIZED document has been reviewed pursuant to Executive Order 13526 and has been determined to be declassified.\n3(6)(1)/dr.6Mar 05\nBy ASSIFIELate 25\nSANITIZED COPY\nTelecon\nSecretary Rogers\n9/14/70 12:15 p.m. 0Page 2)\nR: Okay. On Chile, CIA has prepared a paper with general con=\nclusions which I think are pretty good--our people agree. But whatever\nwe do, I think there are two things we should take into consideration:\none, we want to be sure the paper record doesn't look bad. No matter\nwhat we do it will probably end up dismal. So our paper work should be\ndone carefully.\nI talked with the President at length about it. My feeling - and I\nthink it coincides with the President's is that we ought to encourage a\nSANITIZED\ndifferent result from the\nbut should do so discretely so that\nit doesn't backfire.\nK: The only question is how one defines \"backfire. 11\nR: Getting caught doing something. After all we've said about\nelections, if the first time a Communist wins the U.S. tries to prevent\nthe constitutional process from coming into play we will look very bad.\nK; The President's view is to do the maximum possible to prevent\nan Aliente takeover, but through Chilean sources and with a low posture.\nR. I have been disturbed by Corry's telegrams. They sound\nfrenetic and somewhat irrational. I know that he's undee pressure but\nwe ought to be careful of him. He's got tender nerve ends. I don't know\nif you saw his telegrams.\nK: Yes, I did.\nR: And I think we've got to be sure he acts with discretion. He's a\nhigh-strung fellow.\nK: I think what we have to do is make a cold-blooded assessment,\nget a course of action this week some time and then get it done.\nR: I talked to\nI think it's important that he under-\nSANTZED\nstand that what he's doing is not his doing but encouraging the Chileans to\ndo what they should. If it's our project as distinguished from Chilean it's\n(1)\ngoing to be bad fromm us. I'm not sure he's the best man to do it. I'm\nnot sure he's the most discrete fellow.\nK: Is it?\nR: Not that I know of right now. We ought, as you say, to cold-\nbloodedly decide what to do and then do it.\nReproduced at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library\n[p.2of2]\nSANITIZED documenthas been\nDECLASSIFIED\nreviewed pursuant to Executive Order 13526 and has been determined to be declassified.\nTelecon\nThe President\n9/17/70 2:40 p.m.\nK: The situation in Jordan seems to be picking up.\nP: Good.\nK: The Fedayeen are being smashed in the area right next to\nIraqi troops and they aren't doing a thing. The Jordanian army has\nmoved itself between the Fedayeen.\nP: When I met the new citizens there were 8 or 10 Jewish people\nin the group. I said some of us are American citizens by accident of\nbirth; some because they choose to be. But I said once you are an\nAmerican citizen, there are no degrees. All have the same privileges;\nall have the same responsibilities.\nK: That's good.\nP: I think it was good. It hits the idea of dual nationality. I said\nthere is no such thing as dual nationality but anybody who flies an Amer-\nican plane deserves the protection of the American government. And I\nbelieve that.\nK: You know how pessimistic I have been about the peace offensive,\nbut I think the last week or so strengthens our chances.\nP: Now we have somebody to negotiate with if this works.\nK: We never had a good occasion to show strength in this area.\nP: As I said this morning, as far as the facts are concerned, the\nstrategic interests of the U.S. require that we move carriers, which we\nare doing without announcing it. But it's good for us that they have those\nhostages because it makes our movement more credible to the Russians.\nK: I agree. We are moving the third carrier in there; it wasn't sup-\nposed to go until November. **** And that's a tremendous shot in the\narm for our NATO allies. I was just brought a cable--[Mr. Kissinger\nthen read a cable which began with the idea that the Iraqi army had\nmoved away from its best position. ]\nP: The main thing is, there's nothing better than a little confrontation\nnow and then, a little excitement. Bob and I were just talking sts it's\nReproduced at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library\nDECLASSIFIED\nThis document has been reviewed pursuant to Executive Order 13526 and has been determined to be declassified.\nTelecon\nThe President\n9/17/70 2:40 p.m. page 2\nprobably a good thing those students were there last night.\nK: Otherwise they'd have said you were in a safe audience. Mr.\nPresident, I don't like to bother you with these details but on the trip\nin Ireland it turns out the place of origin of your family is close to\nBublin.\nP: That's right.\nK: If you were prepared to meet with Bruce late Sunday we &\ncould go to Mulkahey (?) on Saturday afternoon. You'd stay two nights\nwith Mulkahey, Monday you could do your family place and the govern-\nment and arrive back in good TV time. The Irish Ambassador said\nanything we want they'll do.\nP: But he thinks we should call on them.\nK: Absolutely. I had the impression he would prefer Monday.\nP: Okay, let's do it Monday. Let's leave both the meetings open.\nK: Okay, we'll schedule Bruce for 4:00 or 5:00 on Sunday.\nP: Find.\nK: And Lodge wants to come to the Vatican.\nP: That's all right.\nK: But I wil 1 tell him to get over by himself so we don't arrive\nwith such a tremendous party.\nP: I think he should go over to prepare a little and talk to everybody,\nand then he can help escort me around.\nK: Okay, we are staying in government guest houses in\nand Belgrade and the Spanish want you to do that there.\nP: Okay. How about Heath?\nReproduced at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library\nDECLASSIFIED\nThis document has been reviewed pursuant to Executive Order 13526 and has been determined to be declassified.\nTelecon\nThe President\n9/17/70 2:40 p.m. page 3\nK: Heath, you will chopper to Checquers. You can meet with him\nbefore lunch, have a working lunch and then meet with him again after\nlunch.\nN: Good. What about Mrs. Nixon?\nK: They are checking the Queen's schedule to see whether she will\nbe in residence anywhere close by.\nP: It would be nice for her to just call on her.\nK: They are usually in the north at that time. But they are trying\nto arrange the schedule.\nP: We don't want anything special done. It's not an official visit.\nK: Mrs. Annenberg has arranged for her to chopper to London too.\nP: That might be just as nice. I won't see the Embassy residence\nthen?\nK: No, it's technically impossible.\nReproduced at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library\nDECLASSIFIED\nThis document has been reviewed pursuant to Executive Order 13526 and has been determined to be declassified.\nTelecon\nDon Price\n(Home phone: 617/TR6-2495)\n9/17/70 4:00 p.m.\nK: I am eager to see you. Unless things fall apart, how about lunch\non Saturday?\nP: Great.\nK: About 12:30 in my office?\nP: Fine. XXXLXXXXXXXXXXXXX\nK: Should I have Pat too?\nP: Pat will be in Cambridge.\nK: That solves that. Will you call here?\nP: Yes. I'll see Вяхсухана Bryce Harlow and Len Garment that\nmorning.\nK: Okay. I might have to change it to beeakfast is what I'm thinking\nof.\nP: Okay, I'll check in with your office on Friday.\nK: Check in tomorrow afternoon and I'll try to make it lunch.\nP: Good. I have a 4:30 appointment with Rocco Siciliano - - so if you\nknow definitely by then just leave word there. Otherwise, I will call\nyour office Friday afternoon.\nK: Good.\nReproduced at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library\nDECLASSIFIED\nThis document has been reviewed pursuant to Executive Order 13526 and has been determined to be declassified.\nMr. Kissinger/Senator Griffin\nSeptember 17, 1970 4:07 p.m.\njlj\nG: Actually I have already been up to the TV gallery. I did not\nget into any bind on this. I was worried that I might. The wires\nhad it and\nTacked on to the ceasefire thing.\nK:\nceasefire. At the end of everything\nWhen we\nagree with it too. [Talking about proposals being tacked on to the ceasefire.\n]\nG: This proposal. Does not give us much hope at this time.\nK: Not good to be pessimistic or optimistic.\ngood or ill\nIt is the nuances we have to watch.\nI am just as happy that you did not get into it.\nG: Well, I thought I would get questions on it and\nK: You are very judicious to check with us.\nG: Ok Henry, Thank you.\nReproduced at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library\nDECLASSIFIED\nThis document has been reviewed pursuant to Executive Order 13526 and has been determined to be declassified.\nTelecon\nMr. Kissinger\nDirector Shakespeare\n9/17/70; 6:55 p.m.\nK: At least you know how to get my attention.\nS: Do you want me to read it to you -- they have alerted all the wire\nservices that at 6:00 Chicago time they will be coming out with a big story.\nThis is what the President said to the editors and broadcasters If the\nSyrians or Iraquis intervene in Jordan there are only two of us to stop\nthem, the Israelis or us. It will be preferable for us to do it. The\nRussians are going to pay dearly for moving the missiles in. The Israelis\nare going to get five times as much as they would have if the missiles\nwould not have moved. We are embarking on a tougher policy in the\nMiddle East. The Sixth Fleet is going to be beefed up. I was having\nan argument with Kissinger who thinks we blew it in Jordan. We will\nintervene if the situation is such that our intervention will make a\ndifference. Chicago Sun Times is saying as as a lead that it was learned\ntoday from high sources that the U. S. will intervene in Jordan if the\nSyrians or Iraquis move. I know what the editors were told, but I don't\nknow how they will write it.\nK: What does he mean that I thought we blew it in Jordan. I have been\nraising hell with him along the lines that we have been behaving and that\nJordan was about to blow.\nS: This is a senior man's notes of what the President told them.\nK: Was Lisagor there?\nS: I don't know. We will get this around the world in just a few minutes.\nK: I think the Secretary of State is going to have a bloody heart attack.\nS: We passed this along to State -- Rogers and Sisco.\nK: God help us. Those fools at State think I am putting him up to it. It\ndoesn't give me any pain.\nfeg\nReproduced at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library\nDECLASSIFIED\nThis document has been reviewed pursuant to Executive Order 13526 and has been determined to be declassified.\nTELCON\nSecretary Rogers\nMr. Kissinger\n7:29 p.m., 9-17-70\nR:\nHello Henry.\nK:\nI just picked up the phone to call you. Let me guess what you have\non your mind. Let me read a conversation I had with the President\nthis morning. He said I think we should be enigmatic and say\nnothing. Then I said I had talked to Bill and said that we should be\nvery restrained and low key. His reply was yes, I will say nothing.\nHe said he had had a talk with you and was glad we were all in\nagreement. And he said I won't say anything out here. I don't\nknow where this leads us.\nR:\nI don't either. Are they printing the whole thing? My office says\nthe transcript is pretty bad.\nto\nK:\nSisco said the conversation (previously) had nothing/do with Jordan.\nWe were talking about the Klein speech. There was literally no\nreference to the Middle East. Well, it is water over the dam. I\nthink we have to sit tight and see how it plays.\nR:\nLoomis says the wire services have put out the word to keep the\nwires open so they are probably going to give it a good play.\nK:\nI don't know what Golda Meir thinks she will be getting. If that\nis what he says when he gets mad, we will have to keep him calm.\nR:\nWas this on or off-the-record?\nK:\nIt was off-the-record. I asked him to keep it low key, that we\ncoul d make military moves but we should not talk about it.\nR:\nIf you look at the telegrams, etc., that have been coming in, it\nall has been looking favorable.\nK:\nI am not sure that it is right for us to move but I don't think we should\nsay only two people can save him (the King).\nR:\nEverything has been going so well. He said he was pleased about\nhow things were being handled.\nK:\nIt may be the end of the Yugoslavia visit. I am not sure he can\nafford to have us.\nReproduced at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library\nDECLASSIFIED\nThis document has been reviewed pursuant to Executive Order 13526 and has been determined to be declassified.\n-2-\nR:\nI thought this was supposed to be off-the-record.\nK:\nIt was supposed to be off-the-record with these certain newspapers.\nI prepared nothing really special for it. When I came back from\ntalking at Justice Department, I thought Haig was pulling my leg\nwhen he was telling me these things.\nR:\nIn the transcript itself, at one point, he said he wanted these\nthings printed.\nK:\nHave you seen a transcript?\nR:\nNo, but Loomis read it to me. We will have to see how it plays.\nI am not sure it will have any particular effect in the area itself.\nK:\nI don't know how the Russians will react. It may affect the\nYugoslavia trip.\nnot\nR:\nI think we ought to try to caution everybody/to say we didn't expect\nany comments like that. You don't mind if I tell my people this was\nyour briefing paper.\nK:\nI didn't have a briefing paper. (Ha. Ha.)\nR:\nWell, we will see how it plays.\nmlh\nReproduced at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library\nDECLASSIFIED\nThis document has been reviewed pursuant to Executive Order 13526 and has been determined to be declassified.\nMr. Kissinger/Secretary Laird\nSeptember 17, 1970 7:45 p.m.\njlj\nK: Mel, Have you heard the President's backgrounder in Chicago today?\nWell Mel, you have to move that carrier.\nL: I already signed that thing\nK: No I was just kidding. The President's backgrounder was a Wooperx\nwhopper. We told him to say nothing. He said the Soviets made their\nworst mistake in building up missiles in the Middle East. We are going\nto give the Israelis 5 times as much as he had planned. The King cannot\nfall. It is better for us to go in. Reinforcing fleet in Mediterranean.\nGoing to Mediterranean to show [strength]. This may blow the Yugoslav\ntrip. It's a tough line if you want the tough line.\nL:\nThe only reason I wanted you\nK: I will raise that issue with him. He will call me when he gets in tonight.\nI just\nwanted you to know from me I had no inkling whatsoever of what he was\ngoing to say. We prepared no briefing books for him. I thought it was going\nto be a bull session.\nL: Is it on the wires?\nK: I understand that it is being played big in the Chicago Sun Times. I have\nnot seen it and only have had someone read it to me.\nL: It would be a big story out there.\nK: All the departments should stick together on this. I just talked with\nBill and we agreed that we should say nothing. The President's remarks\nspeak for themselves.\nL: I had better get my public affairs people together tonight.\nK: I know that some of you feel strongly about this but I think we must hold\ntogether on this.\nPackard and Praeger [I told Packard and Praeger\nabout the line developing] that line developing was quite different than\nthat.\nL: I just left Dave.\nK: I was out for an hour this afternoon and when I got back and Haig told\nme I thought he was XXMXX pulling my leg. I think I should call the British\nand warn them what is going to break.\nReproduced at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library\nDECLASSIFIED\nThis document has been reviewed pursuant to Executive Order 13526 and has been determined to be declassified.\nL: I think you should Henry. It would startle them too much. You ought\nto call. I think we had better go ahead and talk with them.\nK: That was the mood he had. [Referring to the mood of the President. ]\nI did not think he was going to do it.\nL:\nseeing stories of wives and XXXXXXX families\nK: We can wait,\nHe will undoubtedly call me when he comes in. If\nhe is in a mood to run it by I will talk to him.\nL: I am ready to go (?) it. I only thought\nK: You did the right thing Mel. You did exactly the right thing.\nL: Go now and then blow a little later.\nK: You did exactly the right thing Mel.\nL: Henry, about this trip to the Mediterranean. How are things going to\nwork out?\nK: What he was wondering was\nYou\ngo out with the military people in your plane. Meet MXXXXX in Rome and\ngo out to the Fleet with him.\nL: I think it would be better if I would go with him. We would have the\nmilitary meet us with the Fleet. They can take my plane and then I would\ncome back with them. I think it would be strange if I did not go with him.\nK: I agree with you.\nL: Tom Moorer feels that way.\nK: I will check it out.\nL: No problem?\nK: Well, the Italians are not too eager to have talks on the Defense level.\nL: We can finesse that.\nK: If you can finesse it.\nL: I have a friend with the Italian Defense\nK: Why don't you meet separately with him. What is his name?\nL: Tanessi (phonetic).\nReproduced at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library\nDECLASSIFIED\nThis document has been reviewed pursuant to Executive Order 13526 and has been determined to be declassified.\n- -3- -\nK: If you could meet separately with him that would solve it.\nL: He is going to Chair the meeting of Defense Ministers in October and\nI could talk to him. European Defense Ministers are going to be meeting\nin Brussels on this burden sharing.\nXLX K: I will talk to Haldeman. [re trip and Laird going with President.\n]\nI do not see any problem on that.\nL: Then Wednesday I will come back.\nReproduced at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library\nDECLASSIFIED\nThis document has been reviewed pursuant to Executive Order 13526 and has been determined to be declassified.\nMr. Kissinger/Ambassador Freeman (UK)\nSeptember 17, 1970 7:55 p.m.\njlj\nK: I do not know if you have heard any of the press reports from Chicago.\nThe President's two backgrounders are rather explosive headlines associated\nwith them. I know no more than you because it was not previously planned.\nHeadlines that say Soviets made biggest mistake in missile buildup in\nMXX Middle East. 5 times as much support as the Israelis wanted. That\nthe King cannot and there are only the Israelis and the United States to keep\nthat from happening. That going to the XXXXXXXX Mediterranean is a show\nfox of force. Many things that we are doing. I called because I do not want\nyour people to panic there.\nF: This was an unscripted occasion?\nK: Unscripted and just for your information caught us a little short here.\nIt reflects the thinking here obviously.\nnot opening shot.\nF: I will try to get some sort of message to my people in London.\nK: Do you have any Kennedy thoughts? [referring to Sec. of Treas. Kennedy]\nF: I have been waiting for two reasons. Chancellor has been away for 36 hours.\nThere is alarm in Treasury. I do not know what the answer will be. Treasury\nthinks it is ill advised.\nspecial trip to London at this time. I know what\nTreasury is saying in London. I know what papers are going up but I do not\nknow what the answer may be.\nK: Secretary's level. Who is plagueing me.\nF: I am being slightly unhelpful. I would think US Treasury too would have\nsome serious problems with it.\nK: Bureaucratic issues.\nF:\ndifficulty you are in. I know what submissions are going up.\nK: You can't carry them in the way I do occasionally.\nF: Rather further away than you are.\nK: Do you have anything on the First Ladyes?\nF: It may be 24 to 36 hours. We are really trying to work something\nout that will be useful. Along the lines we discussed.\nK: Treasury.\n(?)\nmay be difficult for me personally.\nReproduced at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library\nDECLASSIFIED\nThis document has been reviewed pursuant to Executive Order 13526 and has been determined to be declassified.\n-2-\nK F: When I have got something I will tell you.\nK: I am not pushing. Just thought your spokesman could be dampened down\nany prospects. - on the backgrounders.\nF: I will do that at once.\nReproduced at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library\nDECLASSIFIED\nThis document has been reviewed pursuant to Executive Order 13526 and has been determined to be declassified.\nMr. Kissinger/Secretary Rogers\nSeptember 17, 1970 8:30 p.m.\njlj\nK: Joe, this afternoon, when he was over for the WSAG meeting said he\nhad a scheme to get the talks moving again. Without going into it. In\ngeneral that she be ready to talk\nI am constantly awed by his\nintellect.\nR: What he had in mind\nK: I mean that as no criticism. He comes up with more schemes than\nanybody I know. He is always thinking.\nR: He has a good group of people. Tentative way\nIf she shows any\ninclination\ncold proposition. Have you heard anything from the plane?\nI thought maybe Ron Ziegler would call.\nK: I checked and we did nXX no briefing books. I know you were just kidding.\nR: I was just joking. I will have to MXMX label my cracks.\nK: I know you were joking. Just heard that we did hear from Ziegler.\nHe got the intervention thing dropped completely. But I heard that\nLisagore was running around town spreaking rumors.\nR: Did you hear about you. They quoted you as saying\nDid you\nhear that?\nK: I just said that someone XXXXX garbled it. You and I both agreed.\nThat the chances of\nAssuming the editor cut it\nR: If he got intervention out of there it's OK about strengthening the\n6th Fleet. Fine how he feels about the Mediterranean.\nK; If he got talking about the missiles out of there.\nReproduced at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library\nDECLASSIFIED\nThis document has been reviewed pursuant to Executive Order 13526 and has been determined to be declassified.\nTelecon\nMr. Kissinger\nSecretary Rogers\n9/17/70; 9:15 p.m.\nR: The meeting tomorrow, I assume it's still Al Haig and Sisco.\nThe President doesn't plan to have either you or I? If he changes\nhis mind, please let me know. I think it would be a mistake if he\nhad you and not me.\nK: You can be absolutely sure that I am not going. If he does call\nme, I won't want to go.\nR: Are you going to the meeting tomorrow?\nK: I thought it was canceled.\nR: Oh!\nK: They (Golda Meir) had asked for a private meeting with me and\nI refused it.\nR: Have you gotten any more on the stories?\nK: The President is calling me, I'll call you back.\n9/17/70; 9:30 p.m.\nK: He (President) isn't really sure of what has happened. Let's see\nhow the stories play. I told him that we are all together that we\nare all agreed on the main outline. On the Middle East, I won't\npermit the Israelis to play you and me against each other. I have\nrefused to see Golda Meir at all tomorrow and there can be no\npossible change. Even if the President asks me, I will refuse.\nI told him (President) there had been some stories coming out.\nHe said he tried to stick to the basic line. He has been quite euphoric -\na little like the Pentagon visit. I mentioned few of the stories to\nhim and he said they must have leaked out of some of the remarks\nmade to the media yesterday. That's embargoed until Sunday - some\nmay come out of it. It was a very good thing -- I will send you the\ntranscript. He was eloquent.\nR:\nB ut that was supposed to be off the record.\nK: Yes. My understanding is that today's was supposed to be off\nthe record, also.\nReproduced at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library\nDECLASSIFIED\nThis document has been reviewed pursuant to Executive Order 13526 and has been determined to be declassified.\nTelecon\nMr. Kissinger\nSecretary Rogers\n9/17/70; 9:15 p. m.\n-2-\nR: I guess you got the same\nK: (Laughter) Yes, he must have at some point said I want that printed.\nR: Like Martha Mitchell on the plane the other night. After a couple\nof drinks she said there was something she wanted used in the paper\nAs long as it doesn't cause trouble and this may not.\nK: It may do some good in bringing home to the Soviets that our\npatience is wearing thin.\nR: Once we decide on something, I don't care what the hell the decision\nis -- I have trouble calling the signals one way and running the play\nthe other.\nK: The strategy is that when you are winning it is better not to say\na hell of a lot.\nR: Actually, I am fairly relaxed about mistakes we make - - but I do\nhave trouble calling the play\nK: I will do my damnedest to make sure that you get a warning of\nanything I see so that you will be aware of it. You can see why the\nPresident got carried away. He made it sound like it was just an\ninformal session.\nfeg\nReproduced at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library\nDECLASSIFIED\nThis document has been reviewed pursuant to Executive Order 13526 and has been determined to be declassified.\nThe President/ Mr. Kissinger\nSeptember 17, 1970 9:30 p.m.\njlj\nP: Anything new?\nK:\nKing seems to be in pretty good shape. It\nhas been night there since about 2 o'clock.\nP: They probably won't do anything at night. The Russians are really stewing\nright now. Woul dn't you say? As you probably heard I put in a little squibb\ntoday.\nK: The backgrounders are beginning to break in the East now.\nP: The stakes are high and we are not looking at this as a little\nlet them\nK: Might as well/know what chips are in the pot.\nP: I agree with you in how to handle the Soviets is with cool detachment.\nI was wrong before. You are completely right. Do not warn them. They\nthink you are bluffing. Just move\nI want Helms to know that I think\nhe should get some confused traffic out about ship movements.\nK: I must tell you Mr. President that moving the Kennedy we have had\nto cancel shore leave for ******* most of the crew.\nP: That's all right. Shore leave is not all that easy. We will give them\ndouble the leave next time.\nK: When the Soviets see the Kennedy come through the Straits of XiXXX\nGibraltor and\n44\nrefugees\nP: They will know that we are ready to do something. / ????? Makes\nthem think we might do something.\nK: You have the events leading to the highjacking - they have been a net\nloss for the Soviets. Concentrating on other things.\nP: King has been informed that we will support him?\nK: Yes. By the way, Ambassador Brown has done a very good job.\nP: That meeting with him helped him.\nK: You told him he was going to where the action was. He has been very\ncoolheaded.\nReproduced at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library\nDECLASSIFIED\nThis document has been reviewed pursuant to Executive Order 13526 and has been determined to be declassified.\nP: Bureaucracy is all together on this one? Bill knows that the peace\noffensive is based on Jordan.\nK: Yes, everyone is pulling together. I am more optimistic about the\npeace offensive - if it works\nP: About this visit tomorrow. We have to handle it with resolve. Don't\nwant Meir going out and saying that we will go into Jordan. I made it\nclear in my backgrounder. MXX It would be fatal to the King if the\nIsraelis came in andalmost\n[Paraphrased the President said it\nwouldn't be very good if PM Meir walked out txbx of the meeting and said\nthat they were going to move into Jordan.\n]\nJordan has to be strengthened\nto scare off Iraquies and Syrians.\nK: It gave us an opportunity\nI talked to Rabin for 2 minutes today\nand told him [to cXXXiX keep it cool. ]\nP: Who is setting in tomorrow.\nK: Sisco, Haig, Eban. I think it would be good if after the meeting you\nwould let the others go and stays spend 20 minutes with Meir. At least\nthen she could say that she had a private meeting with you.\nP: Yes, you told me. The reception in Chicago was good today. We went\naround the streets.\nQuite a reaction to the speech.\nK: Yes, excellent. Comments and what I have read were good. The\neditors thing went well yesterday. Today was good too. Jordan thing\ngood for us.\nP: Appear like quite a crisis but we lanced the boil and now\nThe King is doing well?\nK: Yes. About relaunching the peace initiative. I think we should take\na longer look at the scenario. I think we should know where we are going\nand not be wishy washy when we relaunch it. When\nyou meet with Meir tomorrow do not urge any particular course of action.\nP: The visit should not strengthen Hussains enemy's position. I wish we\ncould do something publicly in support of the King.\nK: I do not think that he is eager for too much publicity. He knows that\nwe have planes available.\nP: For strikes?\nK: To carry in weapons if he needs them.\nReproduced at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library\nDECLASSIFIED\nThis document has been reviewed pursuant to Executive Order 13526 and has been determined to be declassified.\nP: We also have airplanes to strike. I want Europe mobilized in readiness.\nIf we do I want (strike he is talking about) to hit massively. Not XUXSX XIX\njust little pinpricks. I want them to know we are hell bent for election.\nK: If the King's military situation is as good as he thinks there is no problem.\nThis afternoon they were hitting a commando unit in the middle of an Iraqu\nunit and the Iraqis did nothing. Nasser has not said anything. That is the\nmost support he could give Hussain.\nP: Are the Soviets saying anything?\nK: Nothing.\nP: I think this visit to the Sixth Fleet is good don't you?\nK: The visit to the 6th Fleet is very good. Marvin Kalb says it is\na master stroke. He is Jewish, but he thinks XX it was a very good move.\nP: Well, that's all right. We want him with us. He thinks it was a master\nstroke? What did he say?\nK: We are committed to the Middle East. [HAK went into long talk on our\nMiddle East policy and what we wanted there. ]\nP: I gave a hard thrust. I told the editorial boards today. The Russians\nknow that if they moved they had us to deal with.\nK: Salutory. If some of this stuff leaks it will be fine. It is not an Arab/\nIsraeli conflict. Israeli should not be alone in this.\nP: That is what I said yesterday\nK: [if the bureaucracy ever understands ??? ] [importance of Middle East. ]\nP: I said look where without support of Soviet Union to Syria/Iraq?\n.\nIf you want to see if it matters why are they building up a Fleet?\nK: And we have no reliable land bases there.\nP: I know that. And did you hear about my statement on Greece and Spain.\nThey may not like them but they are our people.\nK: Very strong statement. But on this Jordan thing the bureaucracy was\npulling together. I think this thing is coming out well.\nReproduced at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library\nDECLASSIFIED\nThis document has been reviewed pursuant to Executive Order 13526 and has been determined to be declassified.\nP: What about what the Viet Cong said in Paris? Do you think there is a\nchange?\nK: It is a small sign. XXXXXXXXXX They have\nextended the period of withdrawal that they X said to meet. Might want\nto only talk about withdrawal to us and military[withdrawal] to Saigon. That\nis what we want. That is what I have to clarify on the 27th. The KX, fact\nthat they presented a proposal is good. I got a letter from Bruce. Very\nintellectual letter. MXXXXXXXX In reply to my minutes of the meeting which\nI sent to him.\nP: MX Understood it, did he?\nK: Yes. He is willing to bore others as they are boring him. He is a fine\nfellow. Very good.\nP: He is the best man we have had over there so far. How is he? Feeling\nall right?\nK: Yes, he seems to be fine. [ I am going openly over there. Leaving on\nSaturday to see him in preparation of your coming over.\n]\nP: You won't even need a cover. It's great.\nK: Would you want me to stop and give Pompidou a little briefing?\nP: Yes, I think that would be good. You could tell him you have a personal\nmessage from me. I want you to call Lucet and tell him that tomorrow.\nThe street crowds in Chicago were good. I cameout of the Chicago Sun-Times\nBuilding and there were 50XfXXXXXXX hard hats - 50 stories up.\nK: If there were national elections today it would be a landslide. Even press is comin{\naround. You have held your course through XVeXXXXXX so many visitudes (?)\nXXX and even the press respects you for it. They are not affectionate,\nbut they respect you.\n[\nReproduced at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library\nDECLASSIFIED\nThis document has been reviewed pursuant to Executive Order 13526 and has been determined to be declassified.\nTelecon\nMr. Kissinger\nSecretary Laird\n9/17/70; 9:35 p.m.\nK: I just talked to the President and he feels that he wants the carrier\nto go.\nL: It is on its way right now.\nK: They managed to delete some of the more offensive things from\nthe backgrounder -- intervention, only two countries -- we got that\ndeleted.\nL: I had a couple of calls on it and I think that is in the Sun-Times\nfirst edition.\nK: Ziegler thinks he got it deleted.\nL: Henry, you and I have to have a relationship where we understand\neach other.\nK: I understand -- - you weren't bitching, that's your duty. No mis- -\nunderstanding and I was grateful to you. Suppose this thing had gone\nover and all hell had borken lose -- I understand.\nL: Henry, it's on its way.\nfeg\nReproduced at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library\nDECLASSIFIED\nThis document has been reviewed pursuant to Executive Order 13526 and has been determined to be declassified.\nSecretary Rogers/Mr. Kissinger\nSeptember 17, 1970\n11:30 p.m.\njlj\nR: I just talked with Bob McCloskey who said that Ron Ziegler was\ngoing to point out that we had a WSAG meeting last night. I think we\nshould say that we have been in close touch with the President but\nnot announce the meeting\nK: It was a uxxxx unanimous opinion last night that we would announce\nit.\nR: That we not announce\nK: Do announce\nR: Joe, [apparently turning to Mr. Sisco] he said that it was the\nunanimous opinion to announce the meeting. That wasn't my impression\nBetter if we would answer a question asking if we had a meeting\nrather than making the announcement.\nK: Mention it in passing.\nR: It would seem to be a better way of handling it. It is import to\npoint out that we have been in close contact on it with the President\nand are on top of the situation but that we are not getting hysterical\nabout the situation or making rash judgments.\nK: That is clear guidance. You and I in close touch. Both in touch\nwith the President.\nR: We should have a careful line. Everyone knows what is going on\nand all are alert not any feeling that we are being rash which would be\ncounter-productive. Would be bad for the King.\nK: I couldn't agree with you more. We talked about it last night. I\nagreed with you. This was a marginal decision to me. At any rate,\nI will make sure we just treat it as an answer to a question.\n[Note: Mr. Kissinger asked that General Haig be given the above so\nthat he could pass it on to Ron Ziegler. Both were done. Mr. Kissinger\nsaid to make sure that a question in this regard was asked. ]\nReproduced at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library\nDECLASSIFIED\nThis document has been reviewed pursuant to Executive Order 13526 and has been determined to be declassified."
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