Office of the Historian

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

Washington, October 4, 1960—7:59 p.m.

376. USUN just informed Dept Slim has said he has been instructed vote against ChiRep moratorium. GA vote now expected during evening session Oct 5.

You should see Bourguiba and emphasize urgency of position in GA and great importance Dept attaches to attitude on this question of Tunisian Gov’t. You should approach him along following lines, using also any other arguments you may believe effective:

In this session especially, in view extraordinary efforts USSR dominate UN for own purposes including those in Africa, and respect with which new African leaders look to Tunisia and Bourguiba, it is of critical importance that noncommitted nations stand fast against this double effort to subvert UN for interests international Communism and to establish centers of influence in Africa.

Shift of Tunisian vote to negative would cause US greatest concern in relation to deeply held views of government and people of US. Would seem be abandonment of neutral position occupied by Tunisia and we fear would be felt by many that Tunisia yielding to pressure exerted by Khrushchev in his recent violent speeches in GA. This connection our information is that new African states will support or abstain on moratorium. Not understood why Tunisia need take different position.2

Dillon
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 303/10–760. Confidential; Niact. Drafted by Caprio and Cargo; cleared by Sullivan, Penfield, and AF; and approved by Wallner who signed for Dillon. Repeated niact to USUN. Similar instructions were sent to Dakar, Yaounde, Vientiane, and Abidjan. (Telegram 238, October 1; telegram 104, October 5; telegram 377, October 6; and telegram 122, October 6, respectively; ibid., 303/10–160 through 10–660)↩
  2. Herter met with Slim October 4 to discuss Tunisia’s vote on the Chinese moratorium; the substance of their conversation was sent to the Department in Secto 25 from USUN, October 4. (ibid., 303/10–460) Secto 30 from USUN, October 5, reported that Slim had received instructions to abstain. (ibid., 303/10–560)↩