772.00/4–452: Telegram
The Consul General at Tunis (Jernegan) to the Department of State1
secret
Tunis, April 4, 1952—6
p.m.
145. Res Gen sent for me this afternoon, apparently to tell me that he considered everything was going very well. He said:
- 1.
- Baccouche will probably announce formation of Cab tomorrow. (Hauteclocque) has deliberately avoided intervention in discussions on formation of Cab, being confident that Baccouche wld choose only “friends of France,” and does not know who will be members.
- 2.
- Mixed common reforms, which will meet April 24 will probably be composed of seven French and seven Tunisians. Hauteclocque intends ask Baccouche appoint Tunisian representing all viewpoints. Character of French representation still undecided but impossible eliminate French colony of Tunisia. He is thinking of recommending three French from Tunisia and four from France. It will probably meet neither at Paris nor Tunis, possibly at some spot near Marseille, to avoid outside pressure.
- 3.
- Once new Cab formed he plans remove special security measures such as curfew and release exiled mins. He is much pleased that events of past ten days have passed off without bloodshed and asked that I point this out to Wash. (This is true if one overlooks few isolated incidents which may have no direct relations to strong measures taken against Tunisian leaders.)
- 4.
- One Tunis informant (son of Bey Ducamp, heir apparent) overheard Bey tell his wife that Res Gen had been harsh in dealing with [Page 719] him (the Bey) “but at least had delivered him from clutches of Neo-Destour.”
- 5.
- It has been proposed that new legis advisory assembly shld be appointed rather than elected. This was only comment Bey made on reform program when Res Gen presented it to him.
- 6.
- Baccouche will probably issue statement tomorrow disavowing Tunisian complaint to UN.
- 7.
- Protests circulated in name of Natlist or US (mytel 140 April 2)2 have been in reality drawn up and signed by small group of leaders, one for each org, who have not consulted their members in advance.
Jernegan