AUG 17 2004

Jessee Incao

From: William_Rogers@aporter.com
Sent: Tuesday, August 17, 2004 1:49 PM
To: jincao@kmaglobal.com
Subject: Draft Revised Note Re phone notes Rumsfeld

Dear Henry:

You asked that I sum up the situation with respect to your telcons.

1. The collection now being made public includes both your White House conversations as Security Adviser and your State Department conversations as Secretary. In other words, everything -- with sizable gaps -- from January 1969 to January 1977.

2. National Archives has already released the Nixon material, after culling out personal and security matters. Archives put the telcons in its public reading rooms several months ago. The release was required by, and followed carefully, the special Nixon records legislation. There has been a good deal of interest in the papers, but precious little media notice.

3. The State Department will make the telcons for your tour as Secretary available for FOIA release within the next few days. Like the National Archives, State has also culled out personal and classified material.

4. References to Rumsfeld in this second instalment of papers are of two types: First, your conversations directly with him. These are a small fraction of the 8,000 pages. I would characterize them as businesslike and professional -- not suggesting a particularly intimate friendship, but certainly not personal or confrontational. Second are occasional comments to others touching on Rumsfeld's policy positions, for example his role in blocking the extension of SALT.

5. More broadly, I doubt that this second instalment covering your term as Secretary of State will cause any greater public sensation than the first.

6. In any event, I am now advised by the State Department -- I have had no direct link to the White House on this -- that it is unlikely that the conversations with or related to Rumsfeld will be made public. The White House has told State to withhold "for review by the WH/DOJ any transcripts containing any mention of the White House or the NSC, including discussions with or about persons who were either at the WH/NSC at the time the transcripts were made or with or about persons who are now senior officials of the current administration." State did not ask for my views as to this request.

I would, of course, be pleased to respond to any further questions.

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William Rogers

William_Rogers@aporter.com