Foreign Relations of the United States, 1969–1976, Volume E–13, Documents on China, 1969–1972

50. Message From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to the President’s Deputy Assistant for National Security Affairs (Haig), Beijing, October 24, 1971¹ ²

Beijing, October 24, 1971

EGA 020

00 WTE

DE WTE 10

TO THE WHITE HOUSE GEN HAIG

FM HENRY KISSINGER

1. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CABLES WHICH EXPLAIN A SITUATION WHICH IS NOW INTOLERABLE. NEVERTHELESS YOU SHOULD NOT RAISE DELAYED RETURN AGAIN. WE WILL STAY AT ANCHORAGE, CLAIMING NEED FOR SOME REPAIRS. SAN CLEMENTE WOULD GIVE US BETTER TIME BREAK BUT NO PR COVER.

2. PLEASE TELL PRESIDENT THAT AT PRIVATE SESSION LAST NIGHT CHOU AGREED TO GROUND STATION AND TO 747 AS LONG AS CHINESE CAN LEASE IT. HE SAID IT WAS A MATTER OF HONOR NOT TO LET GUEST PAY FOR SUCH SERVICES.

3. GAME PLAN FOR WALTERS IS EXACTLY RIGHT.

4. HAVE AGREED WITH CHOU THAT WE WOULD RELEASE BLAND COMMUNIQUE ABOUT MY TRIP ON WEDNESDAY AT 1600. TEXT WILL BE AGREED TODAY AND SENT TO YOU. MAKE SURE THERE IS NO LEAK.

5. HAVE ALSO AGREED ON DATE FOR PRESIDENT’S VISIT FOR WEEK OF FEBRUARY 21ST TO BE ANNOUNCED THE SECOND HALF OF NOVEMBER.

6. WITH RESPECT TO PAKISTAN, CHOU SPECIFICALLY TOLD ME LAST NIGHT HE WANTED TO DISCUSS IT PRIVATELY THAT HE WAS THINKING OVER POSSIBLE COORDINATED ACTION. A SEPARATE APPROACH BY US COULD BE CONSIDERED BAD FAITH. I STRONGLY URGE HOLDING THE STATE CABLES UNTIL I HAVE HAD THAT TALK.

7. ACCOMMODATIONS IN ANCHORAGE ARE BEING ARRANGED BY HUGHES. PLEASE FOLLOW UP AFTER WE HAVE LEFT HERE AND MAKE SURE WE HAVE GOOD COMMUNICATIONS.

8. HAS ANYONE CONSIDERED IMPACT ON SOVIETS OF GETTING TITO INVOLVED IN MIDDLE EAST?

9. PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT OUR COMMENTS AFTER CHIREP VOTE ARE RESTRAINED.

10. PLEASE TELL NANCY ABOUT DELAYED ARRIVAL.

1. Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 1035, Files for the President-China Material, China-HAK October 1971 Visit. Secret; Sensitive. A stamped notation indicates that it was received in the White House at 12:33 a.m. on October 24.
2. After calling the situation with Secretary of State Rogers “intolerable,” Kissinger agreed to a stop over in Anchorage, Alaska, using the pretense of airplane repairs. He noted that the Chinese had agreed to the proposed dates for President Nixon’s trip and that Chinese Premier Chou En-lai suggested the possibility of “coordinated action” between China and the U.S. in Pakistan.