Nixon blames Watergate

Press, 30 November 1978, Page 9

Nixon blames Watergate

NZPA-Reuter Paris | The former United States : President, Richard Nixon, has said that the Watergate; scandal had an adverse ef-| feet on many aspects of' American policy, including the Vietnam and Middle: Eastern wars. The Watergate scandal drove Mr Nixon from office four years ago. Had it not been for Watergate, he said, the Communists might not have taken over in South Vietnam, Congress would have passed his energy programme, and doubts raised about United States policy towards the 1973 Middle East War would not have occurred. But, he said, all his tribulations would have been worth while if his grandchildren could live in peace. Mr Nixon, on his first trip to Europe since leaving the

; | White House in disgrace, pwas answering questions .[from viewers to France’s I (second television channel. .( He will travel on to Brittain today to address the Ox- ; ford Union, the student debating society at Oxford ' [University. j| The television presenter > | said the questions ran 90 [per cent in Mr Nixon’s r favour, with many saying . that his downfall should not .'overshadow what he did for peace. 5 On Watergate, the former President said: “The responj sibility was mine ... It was my mistake that after it o (the Watergate break-in) j happened I did not take the decisive action needed to ap- . prehend those who were i guilty.” Mr Nixon, often emotional and clearly revelling in his ) return to the limelight, covi ered the great themes of his

,‘time in the White House — > rapprochement with China, ; disengagement from the .Vietnam War, the 1973 ■ I Middle East War, and the oil -[crisis. ■I Mr Nixon, now 65, said it Lwould be possible to assess [the achievements of his r Presidency by 2000, and he 1 intended to live till then. s “I trust the footprints 1 ’ leave will not be washed t away by the blood of those r who have to fight another war. Let that be ray monur ment and my epitaph,” he i- said. t He said he would not just t fade away, playing golf or! ) watching the Pacific Ocean! e from his home in San Clei- mente, California. e “I intend to do what I can, not in political life but 1 in public life, to speak out s on the issues which affect - the peace of the world,” he s said.