File scanned from the National Security Adviser's Memoranda of Conversation Collection at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library THE WHITE HOUSE

Transcription

1 File scanned from the National Security Adviser's Memoranda of Conversation Collection at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library MEMORANDUM THE WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON ~NODIS/XGDS MEMORANDUM OF CONVERSATION PARTICIPANTS: His Excellency Tran Kim Phuong, Ambassador of the Republic of Vietnam President Gerald R. Ford Dr. Henry A. Kissinger, Secretary of State and Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs Lt. General Brent Scowcroft. Deputy Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs DATE AND TIME PLACE August 9, :15 p. m. Oval Office The White House Ambassador Phuong: Let me give you my congratulations on behalf of my country. President Ford: Thank you. And please give President Thieu my best wishes. Secretary Kissinger: I told Ambassador Phuong that the fact he is one of the few you are seeing individually is a symbol of our concern for you. Ambassador Phuong: I am very grateful to see that South Vietnam stul has such a relationship with the United States. [The press was admitted for photos.] Secretary Kissinger: The Ambassador and I went through many negotiations together. President Ford: Were you in all of them? Ambassador Phuong: In all but the last one. In Paris. ~/NODffi/XGDS ~-XGDS(3) CLASSJFIED BY: HENRY A. KISSINGER

2 e :t~nodis/xgds z.... Secretary Kis sin~er; I had to negotiate with the North Vietnamese in the day and with the South Vietnamese at night. The pr ess reports said I was out with the girls at night. but it wasn It true. President Ford: Not with the girls? At least not sine e you've been married. How long did that last? Secretary Kissinger: About four months, in' phases. Pres ident Ford: I went to the sign\ngl < Secretary Rodgers took us along. I have a pen the Secretary gave me which was uj!ed.in the signing. I have it framed. [The press was dismissed.] I assure you we will continue our:i?olic,ies~nd wu~ try to, cc:>litinue them effectively. I know you ha ve problez:ns. Heavy militaryi'ctiv\tyhas beeh going on, especially the last three days. I was very;, disappointed in the '$1 ~U1ion cut to $700 million. We asked for $1. 4. At last we beat Iiiegl~ who wanted it cut to $375 million. But $700 million is not enough. '~, " t '. 2" ~'.; Ambassador Phuong: It is not. ",With price~.going ~p. President Ford: N~xt week'i hope tct,tq~~p'~~~~~' c~~tacts i,n the Senate to convince them the House figure is~toq~low.,j.. 'r,,~ Secretary Kissinger: big difference. If you could 1:u::rn McClellan around, that would make a Ambassador Phuong: Our concern is that Hanoi cotildread this as a signal of your disinterest and increase its activity. Now y~u: aj:',emeeting with the, Soviet Union, maybe there is some way to get theim to,cuttbeir supplies to North Vietnam. If they continue and we can't get supplies from the United States, it would be very serious. President Ford: Can we get help from Humphrey? Secretary Kissinger: He supports economic more than military aid. Ambassador Phuong: He came back from his trip there very impressed. There was a very serious mark-up in the Hou se -- it was only $450 million for Vietnam. Ot-. ~/NODIS/XGDS. 'TO ("

3 e S~NODIS/XGDS. 3. Secretarv Kissinger: It is disgraceful, Mr. President, for a lousy $200 million to let Vietnam go down the drain, after 50,000 Americans died there. President Ford: We will do our best. Give President Thieu my best and my admiration to Thieu.We are proud of our relationship, and I assure you and the President that we will do our best to continue it. \S~T /NODIS/XGDS v

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