TELCOM

Secy Rogers
Mr. Kissinger
3:40 PM 7-9-69

R said he had talked to the President re Thieu's speech, which he is planing to make at 9:00 tomorrow night on National TV. K asked if text was same as he saw yesterday and R said it was considerably improved. R said the Pres said as far as he was concerned it was o.k., but told R to send it over to K and if K has any thoughts he is to get them to the Pres. R said on Friday morning the President will give Ron a statement or may make it himself before TV. K said the President had just told him so that too. R said these fellows should be told in serious way that Thieu has gone a long way when you think about it and if other side is interested in negotiation, should do so now. K said he thinks we should say we think he has gone as far as he could go - can't expect Thieu to do anything else, he's willing to risk his whole future. Both claim to have support of people but only one is willing to test it.

R said they would get speech over to K this afternoon. Both agreed Thieu should not be pushed. R said he had been talking to VN Amb and he is pleased with the way things are going.

jm

DECLASSIFIED

Authority E.O. 12958

By DS NARA Date 4/15/06

TELCONE

Bill Sullivan (State)
Mr. Kissinger

7-9-69 5:10 PM

S said he did not know if K had heard of contacts by Secy with the President. K said the President had just called him and told him. S said what has since happened is that VN Amb was coming in to see S and Secy asked him to come to his office. Secy told Amb that the speech is good, we do not wish to nitpick and therefore, as far as we are concerned it can be delivered as it stands.

Timing is Friday morning. Saigon time. Secy said the Pres would be willing, either thru State, or himself, to make endorsement of it. Rogers then on Friday afternoon would call in selected group of correspondents and background to effect this is Thieu initiative and that it did not come through arm twisting, etc.

S said Bui Diem has outstanding offer to appear on Meet the Press any Sunday and plans to call his President tonight on the telephone to see whether Thieu would agree to his going on Meet the Press this Sunday or whether President Thieu would want to do anything in English to back up in Saigon the broadcast here. K said Pres had called him right after talking to Secretary and what we will do is put a statement out of WH and have President go on TV Friday morning. K said Rogers indicated that S might send a statement over of what Pres should say. S asked K if he wanted him to do so - it would be very short and S told K what he had in mind. K suggested that S send it over and K will have John discuss with S what we might do. S agreed.

S said he was currently working on a cable to Saigon reporting on conversation with Bui Diem - Secretary sent over to the President a clear reading copy of cable. K asked what S meant and he said a clean copy so Pres would not have to read from cable. K said he did not know if it had come in yet or not, but appreciated their doing our typing for us.

jm

DECLASSIFIED

Authority

E.O.12958

By

DS NARA Date

4/15/06

Telecon
Secretary Laird
6:20 p.m. 7/9/69

Laird wanted to follow through, and had talked to Rogers about it, on the PW issue. He thought the NVN were using this as a gimmick to neutralize the position that we have taken on POW releases. He didn't think that it was necessarily a humanitarian thing to do on their part. He also thought there was a possibility that they might turn these prisoners over to the Black Panthers. We should keep our lines direct with NVN regarding this. K agreed and didn't feel strong about having Dillinger going over there. Laird said he couldn't find any message that was supposedly sent to him and didn't want to make a big thing of just three prisoners. K said it just plays into their hands. Laird suggested we should follow through and ask for the release of the rest of them. The second thing was getting a government-wide position on MIRV since this will be going before Senate and House hearings soon. The ACDA people are wanting to know about our contracts. W He thought Defense should testify on these contracts. He doesn't want ACDA people setting positions on our policy. K didn't feel it was any of their business. Laird thought they should testify but on some of these John Foster should be the witness on the technical questions. He assumed that the memorandum that the President sent on MIRV still stood. K said there should be no change. Laird said Bill and he agree but its the ACDA people. He suggested a meeting. K asked if he was afraid they would recommend a MIRV ban. Laird said yes and also might give the impression that we are far superior to the Sovietsand for the Soviet purpose they have all they need on the MIRVS. We should be careful on how we approach this. K xxx asked if Laird would send him a memo and he would get the President to send out a government-wide position.

Laird said we had another successful Posidium(sp?) test today.

DECLASSIFIED

TELCON
Ambassador Freeman
Mr. Kissinger
6:40 p. m., 7-9-69

HAK said the President asked me to call you to say that if the Prime Minister wanted to come to Prestwick, we would be delighted to see him.

F said I think what is in the Prime Minister's mind is that the
President ought to land on English soil without being properly greeted.

HAK said we would schedule about an hour. Under these conditions, we would have to have our Ambassador up there too so that the two principals could have their private meeting.

F said, you would have told me if this would be a nuisance?
HAK said yes, I would have told you. I raised it with the President
and he wants to do it.

F said good, I will convey this to the Prime Minister.

mlh

DECLASSIFIED

Authority E.O.12958

By DS NARA Date 4/15/06

TELCON
Ambassador Sullivan
Mr. Kissinger
7:00 p. m., 7-9-69

HAK said, Bill, I just got this speech which you sent over to
Rose Mary Woods and I want to say one thing. If this keeps up,
blood will flow. If you keep it up, don't be surprised at what I
do.

S said Henry I did this under instructions. I don't know frankly what the purpose was of having the piece of paper like that. HAK said this is so petty, it is a reflection on everybody involved. In any event if you did it under instructions, I should not be talking to you.

S said as I told you when I called you, I was under instructions to
do it this way. HAK said I think everybody should be aware that I
am through bending. S said I want to keep you informed as these
things happen.

HAK said I am sorry I yelled at the wrong person. S said let's
keep in touch on these things. HAK said fine.

mlh

DECLASSIFIED

Authority E.0.12958
By DS NARA Date 4/15/06

TELCON
Under Secretary Richardson
Mr. Kissinger
7:30 p. m., 7-9-69

HAK said I am seeing you for lunch tomorrow, am I not. I am planning
on coming over there so that my friend upstairs can't intervene.
R said, yes I am expecting you. I will see you at 1:00 p. m. then.

HAK said with regard to another subject, I think I would have an
opportunity on Friday to re-raise the China matter on a personal
basis. I find some of your proposals at the Under Secretaries Meeting
very good. R said I have put this in the mouth of the committee.

HAK said if I could have that piece of paper, that is what I am most
interested in. There is a chance that we will get it done. R said
I planned on having it over today but wanted to make a few changes
first. I will get it over to you.

mlh

DECLASSIFIED

Authority

E.O. 12958

By DS NARA Date 4/15/06

Telecon
Elliot Richardson
9:50 a.ml 7/10/69

K had three things: (1) there was a problem with lunch. The President didn't want to see K until about 1:00 which would be after the Cabinet meeting, but K wou ldn't know until about 12:30. K said he would could slip the Review Group meeting but would get back to K.

(2) The memo that R showed K, the program analysis is in accord with our understanding. If R thought it was an acceptable basis for proceeding he should do so.

(3) There is a problem that Rockefeller raised and one which he has no interest in. It is before the President. Re the Ambassador to Guyana. Burman(sp?) has made a specific request to keep the present Ambassador there for four or five months and K wondered what could be done indicating that this was not a Presidential directive. R said he would look into it and didn't think this would raise problems.

DECLASSIFIED

Authority

E.O. 12958

By

DSNARA Date

4/15/69

TELECON

Senator Percy
Mr. Kissinger

July 10, 1969 -- 10:55 a. m.

Senator Percy said he was sending a letter today to the President (which Mr. Kissinger would probably get), but he felt it would be more courteous to first call K. The letter advises of a statement he will make today (of about 3 minutes' duration) related to the subject of our upcoming talks with the Soviets around the end of the month or first of the next month. K said he would guess these talks now would be closer to the 15th. He wondered whether it would not be a good idea for us to offer a moratorium (if the Soviets would do likewise) on MIRV testing, delaying the ABM, and maybe even a moratorium on strategic forces (aside from Vietnam) at the outset of the talks. He wondered if it might not be an expression of good will on our part, a test of their good faith, and would it give us a good defensive position? K said it would be giving up everything we could possibly negotiate before going into the talks. He said, however, he is not precluding the option that we might at some point want to offer a moratorium. He outlined to the Senator several things -- there are at least two parts of the ABM program: (1) the Chinese capability, (2) the Soviet strategic capability, etc. The Soviets can continue working on protecting their program because they have something in place where our program will stop entirely -- we are not even going to deploy for two years. The Senator then said, 'you see no chance of a moratorium going into the talks?' K said we are not precluding such an option at some point during the talks.

Senator Percy said Senator Cooper had asked him to bring this up with the President the other night when he was over here with a group from the Hill. Senator Percy did not do this because he questioned the propriety of doing so with Senator Cooper's junior Senator also present at the meeting. He repeated that he wanted to run this by K before the letter to the President is sent today. K said he appreciated it very much and told the Senator he could be sure we will take it very seriously!

lds

DECLASSIFIED

Telecon
Jim Keough

2:15 p. m.

7/10/69

K said we were putting out a statement tomorrow supporting something that Thieu is going to do. He has drafted it and the President wanted someone on Keogh's staff to translate it into English. If Keogh agreed, the President suggested Ray Price. It would only take a few hours this afternoon and he would appreciate having it back by 5:00.

Keogh asked if K had gotten anything from State yet. They were supposed to have them in yesterday. (on the trip). Kissinger said he would check on it.

DECLASSIFIED

Authority

By

DSNARA Date

4/15/06

TELCON
Bill Sullivan

Mr. Kissinger

7-10-69 5:20 PM

S said K asked if he could find out what Bui Diem would be saying when he gives out paper. S said as little as possible - he will just try to give it out and say it speaks for itself. S said he recognizes that he will get some questions and one thing Bui Diem will try to get across is that it is purely a VN initiative and there was no US arm twisting. S said he is sending out cable to all posts to effect that speech is being made and giving guidance - pointing out good features, saying we endorse it, etc. S asked if he could let it go and K said yes, it sounds like good idea. K suggested S might tell them President will make a statement. S said they are saying that to a more restricted list of addresses. S said USIS is also doing some guidance for their people.

K asked said as soon as we have something here he will send it over to S.

jm

DECLASSIFIED

Authority

E.O. 12958

By

DSNARA Date

4/15/06

TELCOM
Senator McGee
Mr. Kissinger

7-10-69

5:40 PM

McG said he was following up on their conversation on the boat with the President. McG said he would appreciate having K's thoughts on what McG might best do if he made a quick trip to VN some day. K said we would certainly give McG the necessary introductions and make sure he receives the necessary cooperation. McG said that is usually done - he feels very strongly about this whole business and is not just interested in making a trip, he would like to be helpful. If K feels he cannot be helpful, McG would appreciate candor on that. K said he would give it some thought and be back to the Senator next week sometime.

jm

DECLASSIFIED

Authority

By

DSNARA Date

4/15/06