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Secretary Kissinger: I will adopt your method and say it is up to you. [Laughter]
Vice Premier Teng: You know that the differences between the Soviet Union and China are profound. And you know that after Brezhnev left Vladivostok he flew to Ulan Bator to attend the anniversary of the People's Republic of Mongolia, and he made a speech. I read the press reports -- the part relating to Sino-Soviet relations, and he was boasting a little about the agreements you reached in Vladivostok.
Secretary Kissinger: I explained those to you.
Vice Premier Teng: He still repeated the old words about China and the Soviet Union. The most important [of these] was that he said between China and the Soviet Union there does not exist any border dispute. And by "disputed area" he wasn't even speaking of the larger part -- the one and one-half million kilometers. He only mentioned the smaller, spotted area along the border. So the content of the so-called "non-aggression" treaty, non-use-of-force, doesn't even include the essence of the border dispute.
Secretary Kissinger: Our analysis is the same. I noticed he praised the Foreign Minister. This I approve of highly.
Vice Premier Teng: Which one?
Secretary Kissinger: His, and ours! [Laughter]
Vice Premier Teng: That means that the very issue the two sides are negotiating about doesn't exist at all. That means also that the provisional agreement reached by the Prime Ministers, reached between our two countires in 1969, is gone with the wind. It also means that the words they mouth about improvements in relations are all empty. Of course, they pay lip service to "improving relations." And over the years the postures they have struck have many aspects, varied forms, including mediation by the Cubans and the Romanians. I recall that Chairman Mao discussed this with you. And you will also recall that Chairman Mao made the concessions of 2,000 years and said that no further concession could be made.
Secretary Kissinger: We will explain that to our Ambassador. It will give him courage. (The Secretary quietly explains the story to Ambassador Bush.)
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