Office of the Historian

401. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Tunisia1

Washington, October 15, 1958—7:41 p.m.

380. Alphand saw Murphy today and stated French Government agrees US should supply arms for 2400 men to GOT.2

You may inform Bourguiba US taking steps now meet arms requirements for above number men, on same basis 500 rifles previously supplied. There are of course a number of details to be worked out and you will be fully informed. This is preliminary info having in mind Bourguiba’s Thursday speech.

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You should stress our desire avoid publicity in view effect this on US-French relations and because we particularly desire avoid any appearance connection between supply of arms and GOT–UAR dispute.3

Dulles
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 772.56/10–1558. Secret; Niact. Drafted by Porter, cleared by L. Dean Brown, and approved and signed for Dulles by Murphy. Repeated to Paris and Rome.↩
  2. A memorandum of this conversation is ibid.; its substance was sent to Tunis in telegram 390, October 16. (Ibid., 772.56/10–1658)↩

  3. Reference is to an incident at the October 11 Arab League meeting, when the Tunisian Delegate accused the United Arab Republic of trying to dominate the League, whereupon the UAR Delegation walked out of the meeting.

    Ambassador Jones informed Mokaddem early on October 16 that the United States would supply arms to Tunisia. Later that day, Mokaddem stated Bourguiba was “highly pleased” by this decision and that it would not be publicized; the Tunisian Government understood that the arms purchase should not be linked to the Tunisian-UAR dispute. (Telegram 563 from Tunis; ibid.) In an October 16 address, Bourguiba explained the reasons behind Tunisia’s break with the United Arab Republic and his own pro-Western orientation, but did not mention arms sales. (Telegrams 570 and 573 from Tunis, October 17 and 18, respectively; ibid., 672.86B/10–1758 and 772.11/10–1858)

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