Political Turmoil in the United States, June 1973–September 1974
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1372_A14-A16.qxd 11/30/07 2:03 PM Page 269 320-672/B428-S/40003 Political Turmoil in the United States, June 1973–September 1974 35. Conversation Between President Nixon and his Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)1 Washington, June 4, 1973. Nixon: With regard to Mao, you know, that is quite significant, don’t you think?2 Kissinger: Oh, I think that’s of enormous significance, Mr. President. Nixon: The other thing I was going to say, though, that— Kissinger: Because it means that they think that they are going to deal with you for the foreseeable future. Nixon: Right. The other thing is do you think that we should get in—well we can’t do it before you leave—but if you could get a mes- sage to the Ambassador here that we think it’s very important for Chou En-lai to come to the UN. Or do you want to wait till August to do that? Kissinger: I’ve already done that, Mr. President. Nixon: You have? Kissinger: I did that— Nixon: You see— Kissinger: I took the liberty of doing that in response—3 Nixon: You see, it’s going to look rather strange if I go running to China if he doesn’t come here. Kissinger: No, I’ve already done that. Nixon: How’d you do it? Kissinger: I had already extended an invitation at your suggestion a few months ago. 1 Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, White House Tapes, Con- versation No. 39–87. No classification marking. The editor transcribed the portions of the conversation printed here specifically for this volume. According to the President’s Daily Diary, Nixon met with Kissinger from 11:16 until 11:22 p.m. (Ibid., White House Central Files) 2 Nixon is referring to a statement that Huang Zhen gave Kissinger that afternoon, indicating “Chairman Mao welcomes President Nixon to visit China at an appropriate time.” (Memorandum of conversation, June 4, 3–3:30 p.m.; ibid., NSC Files, Kissinger Office Files, Box 94, Country Files, Far East, China Exchanges, May 16–June 13, 1973) 3 Kissinger told Huang Zhen that Zhou “has a standing invitation from the Presi- dent and we would be pleased to welcome him, either on a visit to Washington or in combination with a visit he may take to New York.” (Ibid.) 269 1372_A14-A16.qxd 11/30/07 2:03 PM Page 270 320-672/B428-S/40003 270 Foreign Relations, 1969–1976, Volume XVIII Nixon: Yeah, I know, but recently? Kissinger: I repeated it and I said we can do it in one of two ways: either to go to the UN, or better yet just come to Washington on a per- sonal visit. Nixon: No, what he should do is come to the UN and then drop down here and we’ll give him a nice dinner, you know, without the head of state thing, but it will be everything except the drill. Kissinger: Right. Well, I told him we could handle it either way. And— Nixon: And he’s going to forward that to them, huh? Kissinger: And he said—well, he didn’t turn it down. You know, in the past they said they could never do it as long as the ROC was— Nixon: Yeah, I know. I know. Yeah. Kissinger: He said, well he’s very busy and he’ll look at his calendar. Nixon: Well in view of the Mao thing, you see, the Mao thing has to be significant, because if it came from Chou En-lai that would be one thing, but coming from Mao— Kissinger: It came from both. It was a joint invitation. Nixon: Right. Kissinger: And I don’t know whether you noticed, Mr. President, when he came that he said to you, “Mr. and Mrs. Mao.” Nixon: Yeah! Yeah, I know. Kissinger: Well, that was very significant considering her role in the Cultural Revolution. Nixon: Yeah, and as a member of the Central Committee. Kissinger: Yes, and of the Politburo. Nixon: Politburo, I meant. Yeah. Yeah. Kissinger: So I thought it was an extremely significant event. Nixon: Yeah. Kissinger: And also that they answered you within three days. I mean, you only saw him last Wednesday.4 Nixon: Right. Right. Kissinger: And they also gave us a rather good message on Cambodia.5 4 See Document 34. 5 The message about Cambodia that Huang read to Kissinger earlier that day is in National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Kissinger Office Files, Box 94, Country Files, Far East, China Exchanges, May 16–June 13, 1973. 1372_A14-A16.qxd 11/30/07 2:03 PM Page 271 320-672/B428-S/40003 China, June 1973–September 1974 271 Nixon: Oh, did they? Kissinger: Yes, but we mustn’t refer to that it in any sense. Nixon: Oh, no, no, no. Because they can’t get caught at it, I know. [Omitted here is discussion unrelated to China.] 36. Editorial Note On June 13, 1973, Henry Kissinger, the President’s Assistant for Na- tional Security Affairs, visited Ji Pengfei, the Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs, at the residence of the Chinese Ambassador in Paris. Kissinger requested that the Chinese Government assist American efforts to sta- bilize the situation in Cambodia, but Ji replied that he could do little un- til Prince Norodom Sihanouk, head of the Cambodian Government in exile, returned to Beijing. A memorandum of conversation of the meet- ing is in National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Kissinger Office Files, Box 94, Country Files, Far East, China Exchanges, May 16–June 13, 1973. The following day, June 14, Kissinger met in his White House of- fice with Huang Zhen, Chief of the PRC Liaison Office in the United States. Kissinger gave Huang a memorandum that explained U.S. sup- port for the dissolution of the United Nations Commission for the Uni- fication and Rehabilitation of Korea (UNCURK) and the decision to postpone discussion of the future of the United Nations Command. (Memorandum from Kennedy to Kissinger, June 14; ibid., Box 99, Coun- try Files, Far East, PRC–UNCURK/UNC) On the subject of Southeast Asia, Kissinger remarked, “We can’t reiterate enough that the key element in Indochina is now Cambodia, and everything else will be easy once that is settled.” Kissinger also described the agenda for the upcoming summit with Brezhnev, which was to begin on June 18. Concerning the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks, Kissinger stated that there would be an “agreement on the prin- ciples,” but no “concrete agreement.” Kissinger also addressed the Chinese Government’s displeasure with U.S.-Soviet plans for an “Agreement on the Prevention of Nuclear War.” Two weeks earlier, the Chinese Government had decried this agreement as an attempt to es- tablish a “U.S.-Soviet nuclear hegemony.” (See footnote 2, Document 34.) Kissinger noted, “We have decided to proceed [with the agreement] even though we take your views extremely seriously. It is important for you to understand our position. If we want to establish hegemony with the Soviet Union, we don’t need an agreement. We have many offers 1372_A14-A16.qxd 11/30/07 2:03 PM Page 272 320-672/B428-S/40003 272 Foreign Relations, 1969–1976, Volume XVIII without an agreement.” (Memorandum of conversation; National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Kissinger Office Files, Box 95, Country Files, Far East, China Exchanges, June 14–July 9, 1973) In response to Kissinger’s position, Huang produced a note from the Chinese Government rejecting the proposed U.S.–PRC accord re- quiring the two countries to consult each other before engaging in negotiations that could affect the other nation. Kissinger and Nixon had suggested such an accord in order to alleviate Chinese concern over U.S.-Soviet cooperation in the prevention of nuclear war. (See footnote 2, Document 34.) The Chinese note stated, “the joint declaration proposed by Dr. Kissinger on May 29 does not go beyond the scopes [sic] of the Shanghai Communiqué in principle, but on the contrary would, in effect, provide the Soviet Union with a pretext to peddle its bilateral agreements and Asian security system.” (National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Kissinger Office Files, Box 95, Country Files, Far East, China Exchanges, June 14–July 9, 1973) 37. Memorandum of Conversation1 Washington, June 19, 1973, 10–10:50 a.m. PARTICIPANTS Ambassador Huang Chen, Chief, PRC Liaison Office, Washington Han Hsu, Deputy Chief, PRC Liaison Office Chi Chiao-chu, Interpreter Dr. Henry A. Kissinger, Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs Lawrence S. Eagleburger, Deputy Assistant to the President for National Security Operations Peter W. Rodman, NSC Staff Huang Chen: You are very busy. Dr. Kissinger: With your allies here! We took out three paragraphs of a speech he wanted to make last night. I will show them to you. 1 Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Kissinger Of- fice Files, Box 95, Country Files, Far East, China Exchanges, June 14–July 9, 1973. Top Secret; Sensitive; Exclusively Eyes Only. The meeting was held in Kissinger’s office at the White House. All brackets are in the original. 1372_A14-A16.qxd 11/30/07 2:03 PM Page 273 320-672/B428-S/40003 China, June 1973–September 1974 273 [These were later delivered to the Ambassador. Tab A]2 He wanted to attack countries who were opposed to the improvement of US- Soviet relations, because it showed warlike intentions. We told him he couldn’t criticize third countries in the White House. [Dr.