Memorandum, State Department Summary of Telegrams

R OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE V A Guidelines, 1982 WASHINGTON State Dept. E.O. Date9-9-85 6, January 24, 1952 By DEB NLT, SECRET SECURITY INFORMATION SUMMARY OF TELEGRAMS TUNISIA Our Consul General in Tunis reports his best estimate is that if the French display a genuinely conciliatory policy the present state of hostility can be terminated promptly. On the other hand, the policy of rigidity and force now being pursued by the French will simply produce increasing bitterness and even if order is temporarily restored future troubles will be inevitable. The Bey of Tunis has refused to receive the French Resident General and is standing firm against the French demand that he dismiss his Cabinet and withdraw the complaint which the Tunisians placed before the UN. A majority of the politically conscious population supports this stand. However, the Nationalists say both publicly and privately they would welcome a resumption of negotiations if the French would give positive formal assurances of their intention to progress toward autonomy. Despite the New-Destour (nationalist) resolution of January 18 calling for termina- tion of the protectorate, our Consul General is confident they would accept the relatively minor concessions at present if France would promise to follow a consistently liberal policy. The statement by French Prime Minister Faure in the National Assembly on Tuesday may provide a basis for the restoration of calm and the resumption of negotiations. His affirmation of Tunisian sovereignty and continuing determination to follow a reform policy leading to internal autonomy meets the minimum Tunisian conditions. How- - ever, the Nationalists are likely to take exception to his insistence on the permanence of French presence in Tunisia and of the participation of French elements in Tunisian governmental affairs. It appears the Nationalist leaders are determined to maintain a campaign of demonstrations indefinitely unless given some form of satisfaction. It is probable they have the capacity to do so. UNITED KINGDOM Our Embassy in London reports that there is mounting evidence the Conservative Government is worried over the criticism it expects to be confronted with when Parliament opens on January 29, especially on the subject of the Washington conversations on Far Eastern topics. The British press continues to play up the Yoshida letter to Dulles as a violation of the Morrison-Dulles agreement of last June. SECRET SECURITY INFORMATION