Office of the Historian

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

Washington, November 14, 1958—5:56 p.m.

525. Murphy asked Slim call today and expressed our perplexity and disappointment at Bourguiba’s public statement on arms.2 We had after long and careful planning and discussion submitted US–UK arms list Nov eighth3 and could not understand why, on basis press leaks “of foreign origin” Pres Bourguiba, who knows so well our problems with Paris, should choose this moment to create public controversy re offer still under confidential discussion with US and UK. We found particularly hard understand why Communist Bloc source (Czechs) should have been singled out for mention and we thought this would not be well received here.

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Slim who was without instructions reiterated several times his certainty Bourguiba speech represented no departure from established pro-West Tunisian policy. Said he thought sentiment helplessness, which had been aroused by renewal border incidents, and humiliating nature press stories on arms had convinced Bourguiba Tunisia must make demonstration her independence. This did not mean fundamental change and Slim saw no indication in speech US–UK offer had been refused.

Murphy said he hoped this was tactical rather than strategic maneuver and that matter could be straightened out, but impression created was none the less unhappy. Meanwhile US offer still awaiting reply.4

Dulles
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 772.56/11–1458. Secret; Noforn Except UK. Drafted by Bovey, cleared by Penfield, and approved and signed for Dulles by Murphy. Repeated to Paris, London, and Rabat.↩
  2. A memorandum of Murphy’s conversation with Slim is ibid. In his November 13 radio address, Bourguiba described his attempts to get arms from the West, including the United States, and expressed his disappointment at being unable to do so. (Telegram 737 from Tunis, November 14; ibid.)↩
  3. A copy of the note outlining the offer was enclosed in despatch 363 from Tunis, November 17. (Ibid., 772.56/11–1758)↩
  4. On November 19, Bourguiba informed Satterthwaite, who was visiting Tunisia as part of an official tour of several African nations, that Tunisia accepted the U.S. offer. (Telegram 773 from Tunis, November 19; ibid., 772.56/11–1958) Tunisia accepted the offer formally in a November 25 note addressed to the Secretary of State. (Ibid., 772.56/11–2558)↩