772.00/7–2453
The Consul at Tunis (LeBreton) to the Department of State1
No. 10
Subject:
- Resident General de Hauteclocque Voices Liberal Views on the Tunisian Situation
Ambassador de Hauteclocque, Resident General of France in Tunisia, received Mr. John Utter, Director of the Department’s Office of African Affairs, in his office on July 16 for a review of the current situation in Tunisia.
In the course of this conversation, which lasted over an hour and at [Page 867] which I was also present, M. de Hauteclocque made the following points, among others:
- 1.
- The basic issue, he said, is whether not only Tunisia but the whole Maghreb is to be integrated into the Western community, or whether it will be drawn into the reactionary, anti-democratic Arab bloc. If the latter course should prevail, not only will the encouraging results of decades of French presence be totally destroyed, but also the defense of the Western community of nations will be severely jeopardized. France’s mission is to counteract the evil forces that are seeking to interfere with Tunisia’s progress along liberal Western lines in order to associate it with a group of new Eastern nations whose mentality and way of life are fundamentally antagonistic to our own.
- 2.
- He stated categorically that he would not under any conditions depose the Bey. He thinks that the deposition of Moncef Bey was a capital blunder.
- 3.
- The Resident General is a proponent of Tunisian independence, but not the spurious independence that the Neo Destour is clamoring for. There is no such thing as unencumbered independence these days, and in any realistic concept Tunisian independence must be mortgaged by certain other fundamental rights: the safeguarding of the personal interests and economic contribution of the European community resident here, and the higher requirements of Western defense resulting from the country’s strategically important position.
- 4.
- M. de Hauteclocque was for awhile a supporter of the “association” idea, as between the Moslem and the non-Moslem communities in North Africa. He is gradually changing his ideas on this point and coming around to the view that the psychological gap between the two is too great for the twain to ever meet. He tends now to favor the idea of developing two groups, with all Europeans together in one and the Moslem community in the other. He believes therefore that France should liberalize its policy toward the Italian, Spanish, Greek and Maltese minorities, and not only give them all the benefits that Frenchmen enjoy, but encourage immigration from these countries as well.
- 5.
- He also believes that the “protectorate” formula is unworkable today. In the less complex international political relationships of the nineteenth century, the idea may have had merit, but even then it presupposed the same basic objectives on the part of the protecting and protected powers and their respective representatives. Today it has become a nuisance for France to be obliged to protect and support a Bey like the present one. He would like to see the treaties renegotiated, but offered no suggestion as to how this might be accomplished.
- 6.
The Resident General is convinced that a resurgence of nationalist violence can be expected by next October, the Neo Destour being headed by extremists with no sense of conscience or balance. Both Bourguiba and Salah Ben Youssef are deranged. (This observation on the surface may appear inconsistent with the alleged new conciliatory policy of the Neo Destour reported in Tunis despatches 358 June 28 and 2, July 2.2 His remarks, however, carried the clear implication that any softening of the Neo Destour line represents a mere shift of tactics, and that its long-range political strategy remains implacably hostile to France.)
[Page 868](Mr. Utter at this point sought to impress the Resident with the desirability of France’s having something tangible to show by way of liberal reforms before the approaching session of the General Assembly.)
- 7.
- Scoffing at the irresponsible nationalist charge that France governs Tunisia by “direct administration” M. de Hauteclocque commented on how, frequently he has been overruled by Prime Minister Baccouche on projects that he deemed desirable.
Comment: Despite a painful attack of lumbago, the Resident General was in a mellow mood, relaxed and apparently at ease with his visitors. At the outset he remarked on the futility of trying to impress Mr. Utter, a good friend of both France and Tunisia, who not only speaks impeccable French but has served here many years and knows the country well. Hence he could speak freely. The impression he left with both of us was one of absolute frankness and sincerity, tinged with a sense of frustration that he was reluctantly obliged to admit. He finds the problem fascinating and absorbing (“passionnant”), he has no personal axe to grind, and he deplores the fact that no solution is in sight. We gathered he just doesn’t know what the next step ought to be, and is continually torn between his desire to liberalize the administration and his duty to maintain order.
He observed that his government is finding him another post and therefore he will probably not be here much longer.