Office of the Historian

158. Memorandum of Conversation1 2

Washington, February 17, 1972

SUBJECT:

  • Tunisian-US Relations

PARTICIPANTS:

  • Ambassador El Goulli
  • Tunisian Ambassador
  • Mohamed Azouz Ennifar
  • First Secretary Tunisian Embassy
  • David D. Newsom
    Assistant Secretary for African Affairs
  • Michael V. Connors
    Country Officer for Tunisia

Ambassador El Goulli said that he was calling to express his deep personal thanks to Mr. Newsom for all that he and Secretary Rogers did in arranging for him to deliver personally to president Nixon the letter from President Bourguiba. El Goulli said that President Nixon received him with special warmth, emphasizing that President Bourguiba was his good friend.

Ambassador El Goulli said that President Nixon’s willingness to receive him, even though he was busy preparing for his trip to Peking, constituted a symbolic gesture which would be very important to President Bouguiba. El Gouli said that it was clear in his brief conversation with president Nixon, that the President understands President Bourguiba’s concern for security in the Mediterranean and in North Africa, especially the problem of Soviet infiltration. (El Goulli remarked parenthetically that President Nixon has been kept fully advised by the White House staff of Bourguiba’s concerns.)

Internal Security. El Goulli said that his welcome at the White House demonstrates that there is good will toward Tunisia here in Washington. In this connection the Ambassador expressed hope that the US would be able to provide help in response to Tunisia’s request for internal security assistance. Mr. Newsom stressed that there is indded good will in the USG toward its [Page 1] friends. He noted, however, that there is a growing problem in how the US can manifest this goodwill when its means to help are more limited. For example, the Congress has removed from the assistance bill all proposed authorizations for public safety. In these circumstances, requests for internal security assistance raise some very difficult problems. As for Tunisia’s request, we expect to know in the next few days how we might best resolve our mutual problems.

Military Assistance. The Ambassador raised the question of military assistance, expressing hope that beyond what was provided by the US last year, Tunisia would receive more in the furture. El Goulli said that it was generally understood when the US assistance package was delivered in the Spring of 1971 that Tunisia would continue to receive help. Mr. Newsom said that the US would certainly do what it could to help. He noted, however, that at the present time there is a differences of about $50 million in the amounts of overall, world-wide military assistance that the Senate and the House are prepared to provide. Given existing US commitments in Indo-China, should the lesser amount be approved, there would be difficult problems. El Goulli said that he fully understood this problem but expressed hope that since Tunisia’s needs are som small —perhaps only a few million dollars—the US would be able to find a way few million dollars—the US would be able to find a way to help. He suggested that since there are already several assistance programs in Tunisia, perhaps some mutually advantageous arrangement could be worked out. Mr. Newsom agreed that we should try to match our mutual possibilities. He added that the Ambassador should be assured that Tunisia will remain one of the five countries in Africa which will continue to receive military assistance—the precise amount to be workded out here in Washington, considering overall availabilities, etc.

Mr. Newsom concluded by informing El Goulli that the serious problems affecting the overall US assistance effort would require the US to inform its friends that it could no longer do as much as it has done in the past. This could, if misunderstood, perhaps lead our friends to question whether there might be changes in our basic attitude toward them. Mr. Newsom stressed that our friends should understand that the issue is not one of basic relationships but of resources.

  1. Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, POL 17 TUN-US. Confidential. Drafted on February 22 by Michael V. Connors (AF/N); cleared by Harry I. Odell (AF/N); and approved by Newsom. According to the President’s Daily Diary, Goulli met with the President from 3:05 to 3:06 on February 14. (Ibid., Nixon Presidential Materials, White House Central Files, Staff Members and Office Files, President’s Daily Diary, February 1, 1972-March 31, 1972) The Ambassador delivered a letter from President Bourguiba, not printed, in which Bourguiba expressed appreciation for Nixon’s update on his Peking trip and his assurances of continuing U.S. interest in Tunisian development and North African security. Bourguiba concluded by hoping for high-level discussions to review bilateral relations and the international situation. (Ibid., RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, POL 15–1 TUN)↩
  2. Ambassador El Goulli thanked Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Newsom for helping to arrange a meeting with President Nixon, and hoped that the evident good will towards Tunisia would produce the requested internal security assistance.↩