Office of the Historian

249. Transcript of Telephone Conversation Between the Presidentʼs Deputy Assistant for National Security Affairs (Haig) and the Minister of the Soviet Embassy (Vorontsov)1

Washington, December 8, 1971, 3:50 p.m.

V: How are you, General?

H: Fine, Mr. Minister. I am calling to convey a message. Dr. Kissinger is in a meeting right now, but he wanted you to have this message as soon as possible. It is to the effect that with respect to your note yesterday,2 the President does not feel a response at this time is necessary until he receives a response to his written communication, and he wanted it understood that the “watershed” term3 which he used was very, very pertinent, and he considers it a carefully thought-out and valid assessment on his part.

V: Okay. I will have this in mind and transmit it to Moscow. Thank you, General.

H: Good-bye, Mr. Minister.

  1. Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 998, Haig Chronological File, Haig Telcons 1971. No classification marking. Another copy is in the Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, Kissinger Papers, Box 395, Telephone Conversations, Dobrynin File, Sept 1971–Apr 1972.↩
  2. Reference is to the message from the Soviet leadership delivered by Vorontsov to Kissinger on December 6; See Document 241.↩
  3. See Document 231.↩