1.
GV Senate Committee seated in front of Kissinger (2 shots)
0.08

2.
SCU Kissinger seated
0.13

3.
SV Senate Committee seated
0.16

4.
SCU Senator Stuart Symington - Missouri questioning Kissinger
0.27

5.
SCU Kissinger replying
0.44

6.
SV Sen. Muakie, Sen. McGovern and Sen. Humphray listening (alert)
0.45

7.
SV Committee at table (silent)
0.50

8.
SCU Sen. Kays at table (silent)
0.56

9.
CU Kissinger speaks
2.29


SENATOR SYMINGTON: ".... as Secretary of State you would not approve and you would not find it necessary to consider this type and character of deception?"



DR. KISSINGER: "If I can answer your question without accepting your premise, I would say that I believe that, as Secretary of State, we cannot conduct our foreign policy by deceiving the elected representatives and the appropriate committees of the Congress."



DR. KISSINGER: "If legal procedures are violated we'll admit it. There is an absolute requirement it seems to me, to be able to demonstrate to reasonable and concerned people that the necessity was in fact overwhelming and that it cannot simply be done by using the words "national security." There has to be a demonstration of an overwhelming cause that would justify disregarding legal procedures.



I shall be prepared to testify formally on all my activities, in either capacity. In other words I shall testify with respect to all matters traditionally covered by Secretaries of State and of my duties as assistant to the President concerning inter-departmental issues. I will not claim executive privilege in either capacity except in areas primarily invoked by cabinet officers, that is direct communications with the President or the actual deliberations of the National Security Council. We will of course need to determine together which subjects should be treated in public and which in executive session.




Initials AE/4.51 AE/5.11


TELERECORDING

Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: Dr. Henry Kissinger, President Nixon's nominee for the post of Secretary of State, was closely questioned by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, on Friday (September 7).

The committee is considering whether or not to recommend Dr. Kissinger's confirmation. Senator Stuart Symington, a Democrat from Missouri, was particularly concerned as to whether there would be any repeat of the secret bombing of Cambodia, which took place in 1969.

During the course the Congressional questioning, Dr. Kissinger also spoke of his feelings about secret wiretappings and his ???sition on executive privilege.