Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, Africa and South Asia, Volume XI, Part 1

772.00/7–2552: Telegram

The Ambassador in France (Dunn) to the Department of State¹

confidential

Paris, July 25, 1952—7 p.m.

580. Binoche, FonOff, today commented as follows to Emb officer:

A. Re Tunisia.

(1) Bey sent message several days ago to Pres Auriol,² indicating he had expected Baccouche would return reform program to him for consideration rather than return it to ResGen for Fr approval of proposed modifications, and requesting that program now be given to him for study.

(2) Fr Cabinet has approved virtually in entirety modifications to program as proposed by Baccouche Cabinet (Embtel 465, July 21 rptd Tunis 3, Rabat 10, Tangier 2).³ Fr plan make no announcement at present re acceptance of proposed Baccouche modifications.

(3) ResGen will probably not be in position to submit program to Bey before Monday or Tuesday as final drafting, translation into Arabic not yet completed. Concessions granted through approval modifications proposed by Baccouche Cabinet have created new point of departure for demands by Bey for further concessions. FonOff does not know procedure Bey plans follow in studying program or whether he will give approval. It is not contemplating any forms pressure to expedite approval or assure it as it believes this would exaggerate situation.

(4) Bey reported as unusually cordial to Baccouche at Thursday morning seal ceremony, perhaps to compensate for shabby treatment re message to Pres. (See para one above.) Unconfirmed reports indicate considerable division within Bey’s family with third son, who apparently favors program, coming to blows with second son.

(5) Fr attitude toward consideration Tunisian problem by gen assembly in fall session not, of course, yet established. Decision will be difficult one for govt as Binoche believes there is considerable support in country for position reportedly advocated by Marshal Juin—Fr withdrawal from UN if North African issue forced. Binoche indicated he believed there were at least five ministers in present cabinet who would support such a position.

B. Re Morocco.

Fr Cabinet has given final approval to proposed reply to Sultan’s note which will be transmitted to Sultan in early August. Emb will be given text when final drafting has been completed.

Dunn

1. This telegram was repeated to Tunis, Rabat, Tangier, and London.
2. Despatch 14 from Tunis, July 28, transmitted a copy of the Bey’s message, dated July 22. The letter informed President Auriol that on July 4 the Bey had been informed that drafts of the decrees instituting the French reforms would be submitted to him without delay. Since that date, press despatches had alluded to the Bey’s “alleged implied approval,” and to meetings of the Tunisian Cabinet. Finally, the Secretary General of the Tunisian Government had gone to Paris to submit amendments to the reforms to the French Government. The Bey said he was astonished at such behavior toward him since the reforms had never been submitted to him, and no authority had been delegated to the Prime Minister or the Cabinet. The Bey closed by saying he had not even been informed of the departure of the Tunisian Secretary General for Paris. (772.00/7–2852)
3. Not printed; it reported the Tunisian Secretary General had returned to Paris with a set of proposed modifications to the reform program. They had been drafted during discussions between the Resident General and the Baccouche Cabinet. A member of the French Foreign Ministry commented to an Embassy officer that, while general popular Tunisian reaction had been favorable to the reform program, Neo-Destour opposition had been so vigorous that it was possible the Bey might not approve the program. (772.00/7–2152)