Office of the Historian

188. Transcript of Telephone Conversation Between the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) and the Soviet Ambassador (Dobrynin)1

Washington, July 27, 1970, 8:45 a.m.

D: Two things I would like to mention to you. First, I am going home for consultations on Wednesday.2 Before I go I have something I would like to tell you about the question you raised.

K: Would you like to come out here?

D: No, I will probably write to you. I will put it in a paper then and give it to your man. The essence is that we are prepared to do this one but it should be on a mutual basis and take into consideration the political settlement.

K: What does mutual mean?

D: I mean only one side … obligation.3

K: But we don’t have any.

D: Then it is better for you.

K: I understand and that is the right way to put it.

D: Same as on the question of arms limitations. Same as before and in the same context we are prepared to discuss the second question you raised. I will put it as briefly as possible and give it to your man.

K: I will send Colonel Kennedy again.

D: My government considers it very important our contacts on the Middle East.

K: Between our governments or you and me?

D: It is the same thing. I mean our contacts, you and me and then general. But first our contacts.

K: I appreciate all of this—how long will you be gone?

D: I don’t know—maybe two to three weeks. After the consultations I will spend some time with my family. Maybe to the end of August. You don’t have anything to say about the European thing I discussed with you?

K: No, except we are going to try to apply them in a constructive spirit.

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D: If you have anything to tell me I will be here till Wednesday.

K: Let me talk to the President today. I will call you in any event before you leave. And don’t be gone too long—you don’t want me to get into mischief.

D: No, I am sure there will be no problem.

K: It seems to be going along well.

D: I will tell you what—not a unilateral approach and second is the political settlement and third—there are really three things—the importance of the contacts and we can work out a settlement on the Middle East.

K: I will talk to the President, but should I send Colonel Kennedy over immediately?

D: Yes.

K: I will send him over in the next hour.

  1. Source: Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, Kissinger Papers, Box 364, Telephone Conversations, Chronological File. No classification marking.↩
  2. July 29.↩
  3. Ellipsis in the source text.↩