193. Transcript of Telephone Conversation Between Secretary of State Kissinger and the Soviet Ambassador (Dobrynin)1
K: Hello.
D: How are you?
K: Okay.
D: Three things, first this is a—Mr. Brezhnev and Mr. Gromyko asked me to congratulate you heartily with the Nobel Prize.
K: Thank you, I appreciate that.
D: And they would really like to congratulate you. Second, I have instructions to tell you on a very strictly confidential basis for you and for President Nixon, I am to mention to him and you that we are now having consultations with Arab Leaders.
K: Yes, and Kosygin is in Cairo.
D: Yeah, this is exactly what they asked me to tell you. But you already know.
K: No, no we know a Soviet VIP is in Cairo, we’ve told the Israelis to stay away from Cairo and the Cairo airport.
D: This is Kosygin.
K: We didn’t have it confirmed.
D: But they specifically asked to tell you and to the President—
K: I hope you have noticed that we have tried to keep things very quiet here.
D: No, I know. I noticed that it is on low key under the circumstances. But this is really for your information.
K: You know we cannot help if there is speculation because—
D: No, no, I understand.
K: Frankly, we know a Soviet VIP plane is there. And therefore a lot of people know something.
D: No, I understand.
K: But you can be sure that we will not confirm it in any official way or leak it.
D: Yeh, I understand. This is just they asked me specifically to tell—he is there in connection with this consultation and including a consult about formula issue proposal—
[Page 561]K: Anatol, you should understand because I don’t want to mislead you, the ceasefire formula—the one on Saturday,2 we had discussed with the Israelis—this formula, we have not yet discussed with the Israelis.
D: About the 242?
K: Yes.
D: 242.
K: Yes. But we think they will accept it, but we didn’t want frankly our press to be agitated against us.
D: Yeh, no, no.
K: So there may be 24 hours after if you come back with something.
D: Yes, I understand.
K: I just—don’t want you people to be misled.
D: Yes.
K: You can be sure that what we said to you we will stand by.
D: Hm huh. And the last one, Henry, here is some oral considerations by Mr. Brezhnev to the President. It is not immediate in the sense of proposals, but so to speak of our relations in really good terms, I should say in a quiet way, it is on four pages—probably—it’s oral however, maybe I will send it to you—nothing really—
K: Can you send it over within the next hour.
D: I could send it right away.
K: Send it over, just for our records.
D: Just for your own. And if you have some comments or other, please let me know.
K: Okay.
D: I could come to you anytime—or by telephone.
K: You know our policy as I have told you, is to try to really to the utmost to not only keep the détente going, but to strengthen it.
D: Yeh, this is really what—this too—this oral consideration—by Brezhnev. I think it is rather helpful, just for the whole background—there is nothing immediate or specifically new, but in general how it is presented, I think you will find it interesting.
K: Good.
D: Okay. Nothing else for the time being, no?
K: No, we are waiting for you.
D: I understand. This foreign minister not yet—in your office. The foreign ministers of
[Page 562]K: No, they are coming in at 11:30,3 but we don’t think we should give them this formula do you?
D: No—well it’s up to you, but I don’t know I doubt very much if their reaction will __________ but you may have better indications than we have, but this is my impression, because they are under the pressure from ________
K: No, no we will wait for you before we make an open initiative.
D: Okay. Be in touch.
K: Bye.
- Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, Kissinger Telephone Conversations, Transcripts (Telcons), Anatoli[y] Dobrynin File, Box 28. No classification marking. The blank underscores indicate omissions in the original.↩
- October 13.↩
- See Document 195.↩