223. Conversation Between President Nixon and his Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger), September 23, 1972, 4:50 - 5:10 p.m.
Conversation: 154-3
Date: September 23, 1972
Time: 4:50 pm ? 5:10 pm
Location: Camp David Telephone
Participants: Richard Nixon, Henry Kissinger
Nixon: Incidentally, your--I want you to follow through and get that ambassador from Burundi the hell--get his ass back here.
Kissinger: I tried to be--I--Rogers doesn?t want to do it because he says the killing there has potentially stopped now.
Nixon: I want to get him back and get a report on what happened.
Kissinger: Okay.
Nixon: I want to know what the hell happened.
Kissinger: Right.
Nixon: I mean, what, what is the matter--what is the matter with the State Department, Henry? They?ve killed one hundred thousand people. Is--are, are we callous about it? Don?t we care?
Kissinger: Well, I?m, I?m in favor of it. And [unclear].
Nixon: Well, just--I just want the report. I just want to get a report on it. Is it ? you know the trouble is, State just wants to play to these goddamn African leaders. Well--
Kissinger: Absolutely.
Nixon: Like they--
Kissinger: They?ve been going to put into Roger?s speech at the U.N. some stuff that we want more self-determination in Africa. And I said, ?absolute nonsense.?
Nixon: More self-determination would mean more nations.
Kissinger: That applies--they?ll apply that to Mozambique and South Africa. They won?t apply it to black [unclear].
Nixon: Yeah. Goddamn. Just think, 42 countries in Africa. 42 countries. That?s ridiculous.
Kissinger: And, and really a murdering bunch of characters.
Nixon: Yeah. Well, I just--my feeling about the Burundi thing is I just--get him back on a sick leave or something, but let?s find out what the hell went on.
Kissinger: Right. I?ll just say you--
Nixon: Or, or--I want a report on it. That?s all.
Kissinger: You just want to talk to him.
Nixon: I?m not satisfied with the report that I?ve had.
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