320. Letter From Secretary of State Herter to Foreign Minister Couve de Murville1
Dear Couve: I want to thank you for your prompt and considerate reply to my message of November 52 and to apologize for my delay in answering. As you can understand, we have been somewhat busy here with other matters during the past week.3
I fully agree that a number of the preoccupations which we had in mind in a declaration from the French Government are reflected and indeed covered by President De Gaulle’s speech of November 4. There is, however, a difference, I believe, in the effect of this speech on those of us who are aware as I am of the intention of the French Government in the event that the debate on Algeria in the General Assembly passes off in a generally satisfactory manner, and the effect on those representatives in the UN who are not specifically aware of your intentions. We consider President De Gaulle’s speech to have been a courageous and constructive statement in a most difficult and delicate situation. According to our preliminary estimates, however, it is by no means clear that its full significance has been grasped by other countries. This is particularly true in regard to the question of timing since there was no reference to any early initiative for the execution of this program in the speech. Our purpose in having these confidential exchanges in regard to the handling of the Algerian debate in the General Assembly is motivated by a desire to examine what we can do together to insure, if possible, that the outcome of the debate in the GA will at best facilitate the putting into effect of your program for the settlement of the Algerian question or at least will raise no obstacles to such action. This has been and remains our purpose. Although we still continue to feel that a more precise declaration of French intentions, particularly as to timing would facilitate the achievement of this purpose, I understand the immense difficulties which the French Government faces in this regard. We still consider that the passage of a moderate resolution might be the best way of achieving our purpose. An absolutely essential element for the success of any moderate resolution, as I am sure you will agree, is the question of its sponsorship. It is our considered judgment based on our latest analysis of the situation [Page 710] in New York that sponsors from the French African community are absolutely essential. Without such African sponsors it would be difficult if not impossible to obtain adequate sponsors elsewhere from Africa, from Latin America or Asia and the entire idea of a moderate resolution would seem to be impracticable. If, however, such African sponsors can be obtained, we would of course be prepared to work and work hard to obtain additional sponsors and support for the resolution itself, including the necessary approaches to Tunisia and Morocco at the proper time.
We have had no information concerning the results of the talks of the representative of the Abidjan Conference with President De Gaulle other than the general impression that the talks seem to have been satisfactory. In order that our two Delegations in New York may consider the plan of action in the GA for the Algerian debate now scheduled tentatively for December 5, I would appreciate any information which you might be able to give me as to the attitude of the African community states resulting from the conversation with De Gaulle as to their willingness to sponsor a moderate resolution.4
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 325.51S/11–1560. Secret; Eyes Only. Transmitted in telegram 2062 to Paris, November 15, which is the source text. Telegram 2062 was repeated eyes only to Ambassador Whitney in London and Wadsworth at USUN.↩
- Presumably Herter’s November 2 letter, Document 316. Couve de Murville’s November 5 reply is printed as Document 317.↩
- Reference is presumably to the U.S. Presidential election held November 8.↩
- Houghton reported in telegram 2017 from Paris, November 18, that he had delivered the letter to Couve de Murville, who agreed with Herter’s conclusions about African sponsors, but had not said anything about De Gaulle’s talks with Houphouet-Boigny and others. (Department of State, Central Files, 751S.00/11–1860)↩
- Telegram 2062 bears this typed signature.↩