117. Telegram 625 From the Embassy in France to the White House, March 13, 1972, 1219Z1 2
[text not declassified]
O 131240Z ZYH
FM: PARIS
TO: THE WHITE HOUSE
ZEM
131219Z MAR 72 [text not declassified]
FM: AMBASSADOR WATSON PARIS 625
TO: THE WHITE HOUSE EYES ONLY FOR DR. HENRY KISSINGER
JUST HAD MY FIRST MEETING WITH AMBASSADOR HUANG, WHICH WAS EXTREMELY CORDIAL AND FRIENDLY. I HAD NOT ANNOUNCED THE MEETING TO THE PRESS, BUT THE CHINESE DID. AS THE AMBASSADOR SAW ME TO MY CAR, SEVERAL PRESS MEMBERS WERE THERE AND QUESTIONED ME. I MERELY STATED WE HAD A FRIENDLY CONTACT WHICH WOULD BE THE FIRST OF MANY AND THAT WAS ALL. NOW WE ARE BEING QUERIED BY THE PRESS, AND I WOULD APPRECIATE GREATLY INSTRUCTIONS AS TO HOW TO HANDLE ANY FUTURE PRESS CONFRONTATIONS—SUCH AS, SHOULD I ANNOUNCE BEFOREHAND THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A MEETING? OBVIOUSLY WOULD NEVER DIVULGE ANY TALKS OF SUBSTANCE, AND MY INSTINCT WOULD BE TO REFER ANY QUESTIONS ON SUBSTANCE TO THE WHITE HOUSE.
THE AMBASSADOR IS PAYING ME A RETURN CALL AT 1100 THURSDAY. HE COULD POSSIBLY ANNOUNCE SUCH A CALL, AND I WONDER IF YOU THINK IT WISE FOR ME TO ANNOUNCE IT IN ADVANCE AS WELL. WARM REGARDS.
- Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 1037, Files for the President-China Material, China, March 10, 1972-April 1973. Secret; Eyes Only. Sent to the White House eyes only for Kissinger. A handwritten notation on the telegram reads: “HAK, Haig, Lord.”↩
- Ambassador to France Watson asked how he should handle press inquiries about his talks with the Chinese.↩