305. Editorial Note
Following President Nixon’s August 2-3, 1969, visit to Romania, Henry Kissinger stopped in Paris to brief French officials. During his August 4 call on President Pompidou at the ElysZe Palace, Kissinger and Pompidou discussed Asia, Vietnam, Romania, the Middle East, and Nigeria-Biafra. The section of the memorandum of conversation on Romania reads as follows:
“Pompidou then asked whether we anticipated any relaxation on East-West trade, and he asked further whether there was any Nixon Administration position or principle concerning the Most-Favored-Nation doctrine. Dr. Kissinger responded that with respect to East-West trade the US wants to deal with each Eastern European country on the basis of their political acts vis-à-vis the US, i.e., we are not adopting generalized positions on East-West trade. Dr. Kissinger added with respect to the Most-Favored-Nation doctrine that the Nixon Administration is not in a position at this time to take any action because of the law which states that any nation trading with or helping North Vietnam cannot receive Most-Favored-Nation treatment. As long, therefore, as the war in [Page 795] Vietnam continues and the East European countries help North Vietnam, the Nixon Administration cannot take any actions with respect to the Most-Favored-Nation doctrine in Eastern Europe. He added that with respect to Romania, we have agreed to review our policy on export licenses; we have agreed to send a scientific team to Romania to improve the exchange of scientific information and personnel. We have also agreed to review the applications already made by Romania to join certain international organizations.” (National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Presidential/HAK Memcons, Box 1023, HAK-Pompidou 8/4/69)
In his August 6 Evening Report to the President, Acting Secretary Richardson reported that Senator Mondale and Congressman Findley had introduced bills authorizing the President to negotiate a commercial agreement with Romania that would provide MFN treatment to Romania in return for compensating concessions to the United States. (Ibid., RG 59, S/S Files: Lot 74 D 164, Box 410, President’s Evening Reading Items)