Office of the Historian

43. Transcript of a Telephone Conversation Between the Director of the United States Information Agency (Shakespeare) and the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)1

Washington, October 30, 1969, 6:12 p.m.

S had three items he wanted to discuss with K. In addition to the TV coverage in Latin America on the speech,2 S was contemplating having about 6 or 7 of top publishers from South America come into the studio on Saturday3 to tape ½ hour of discussion. K said if it would be favorable, by all means do it. S said they could carefully select the people who would appear. K asked if S had read the speech. S read the first draft and thought that it would be a good speech.

#2 S was leaving tomorrow (Friday) for India and West Germany. Keating has asked S to talk to full mission in New Delhi—about 80–90 people also talk to Mrs. Gandhi. Was there anything S should know in speaking to Mrs. Gandhi. I indicated that S should tell her not to be mislead by the press on Vietnam. The President has come as far as he is going, he is very determined, it is now necessary for Hanoi to make a move. Told S to be tough with no apologies. S agreed completely with that. K added that the President will be in office for three more years no matter what happens. S asked if he could refer to this conversation with K in his discussion with Mrs. Gandhi. K asked if there would be an Embassy man there and S said only Keating and he would follow any rules S set up. K indicated that in that case S could mention the conversation but Keating should leave his name out of his reports.

#3 He is going to Germany to look over their facilities. He will go to Berlin to discuss Radio Free Europe with his counter parts (Alles). K said he was a friend of his and S should pass on his regards. S asked [Page 96] if K recalled S’s talk with the P.M. of Poland4 and how unhappy he was with Radio Free Europe and will probably bring it up with the West Germans. There is also increasing unhappiness with DOA. Since there are no trade discussions between East Germany and Poland, S thinks it is almost certain that the continued existence of transistors on German soil will come up.5 S’s view would be not to mention it at all. K indicated that S should let them raise it. S said they have already inquired about legal treaties. K said he didn’t think they have the guts to make S leave. S said he would sit tight and listen. K said S should tell them these things as if they were every day issues and very natural and that we have no thought of discontinuing them.

[Omission is in the original.] L.A. indicated that they won’t take it since they are being exempted heavily on L.A. speech. There is no point in our men sending it over in the middle of the night. Except from the Saturday taping, there won’t be much contact and wanted K to be aware.

Wanted K to make sure the President knows that Buckley and Scranton(?)6 will make the trip. K said he knew already.

  1. Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, Kissinger Telephone Conversations, Chronological File, Box 2, October 23–31, 1969. No classification marking.↩
  2. Reference is to the President’s October 31 remarks before the annual meeting of the Inter American Press Association, which he delivered at 9:35 p.m. at the Washington Hilton Hotel. His remarks were scheduled to be carried live by Telstar throughout the Western hemisphere. For the text of his remarks, see Public Papers: Nixon, 1969, pp. 893–901. According to a transcript of a November 1 telephone conversation between Kissinger and the President, which took place at 10:45 a.m., Nixon indicated that he had spoken with Haldeman, stating: “I want you [Kissinger], and Haldeman, within the next two days, to get any good statements by Latin American Presidents and want to get them to Ziegler for release as ‘White House was delighted to learn that, etc. etc.’ That is the way to do it. I want the foreign reaction reflected here. Don’t send them to me. Get them to Klein and Ziegler and to State and say get it to the press.” Kissinger responded that he would “have USIA start collecting them immediately.” (Ibid., Box 3, November 1–10, 1969)↩
  3. November 1.↩
  4. Jozef Cyrankiewicz.↩
  5. A January 27 memorandum prepared for the 303 Committee indicates that RFE’s programming headquarters were located in Munich with transmitters in Biblis and Holzkirchen, with an additional translator in Gloria, Portugal. The memorandum is printed in Foreign Relations, 1969–1976, vol XXIX, Eastern Europe; Eastern Mediterranean, 1969–1972, Document 28.↩
  6. Presumable reference to Stanton.↩