Page:Kissinger's Trip (3) - November 25-29, 1974(Gerald Ford Library)(1553936).pdf/3

 MEMORANDUM

November 27, 1974

MEMORANDUM FOR: THE PRESIDENT

FROM: GENERAL SCOWCROFT

SUBJECT: HAK Talks with the Chinese

Secretary Kissinger sent the following message to you on his talks with the Chinese.

"I had an extremely cordial session with Vice Premier Teng Hsiao-ping this morning during which the Chinese invited you to visit here during 1975. In retrospect, I believe their invitation to Schlesinger was designed precisely to bring about your visit. I told them that a visit by Schlesinger would cause U.S. difficulties since we had repeatedly turned down a similar Soviet offer, but said that we would keep it in mind and would be prepared to send any other cabinet officer. I indicated a visit by you would be the most effective way of symbolizing the continuing strengthening of our bilateral relations. Teng, who obviously had authority from the Chairman in advance, immediately suggested that we say publicly that the visit would take place during 1975 and indicated that in practice this would mean in the latter part of the year. Significantly, at no time did he link such a visit to completion of the normalization process. They still might attempt to do this, but as of now, it looks like we can look toward your visit without any such conditions -- which is of course the optimum situation for us.

We will talk further with the Chinese on when to release the announcement of your trip. Clearly it should be part of the general communique we will be issuing as a result of this visit. My tentative thinking is to announce your trip at the White House some time Saturday morning. In this way it would not conflict with the coverage of your press conference the previous day but would make the Sunday newspapers. I could brief the travelling [sic] press on the plane and they would arrive in Washington in time to file their stories for the Sunday papers. We cannot hold this news until after I return to Washington because I would have to dodge questions from the press on the return trip and would mislead them. Also, I will have to brief the Japanese on your visit and they certainly will not keep

DECLASSIFIED

E.O. 12958 Sec. 3.6

CLASSIFIED BY: HENRY A. KISSINGER