383. Editorial Note
Allen Dulles reported to the National Security Council at its 358th meeting on March 13 on significant world developments affecting U.S. security as follows:
“In North Africa, Mr. Dulles said, the situation was somewhat more tense than last week. He indicated he would not go into the story of Mr. Murphy’s mission, but said that Bourguiba had apparently been vastly irritated by the French note to him indicating the French belief that an agreement made several years ago was still in effect and therefore supported French control of Tunisia’s foreign affairs and defense. Secretary Herter said that the State Department could find no legal basis for this French claim of treaty rights.
“Mr. Dulles went on to state that Bourguiba had, according to a recent report in the press, given the French a seven-day ultimatum to withdraw their troops from all of Tunisia. There had also been reports of conversations between Tunisia and Morocco with a view to proclaiming some sort of loose union between the two states. Such a union would be anti-Nasser and, accordingly, advantageous to the United States if it were consummated.” (Memorandum of discussion, March 14; Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, NSC Records)