Memorandum of Conversation with Secretary of State Dean Acheson, Ambassador of New Zealand Leslie Munro, and J. Harold Shullaw

SECRLT 494 s/s DEPARTMENT OF STATE 4956 ARCHIVES SANATIONAL AND Memorandum of Conversation RECORDE SERVICE' 136 SOVERN DATE: April 15, 1952 SUBJECT: Call of New Zealand Ambassador - Nr. Leslie K. Munro corf PARTICIPANTS: The New Zealand Ambassador, Mr. Leslie K. Munro BNA - Nr. Shullaw (7EM) The Secretary DH COPIES TO: s/s, BUR, F&, UNA, NEA, Amembassy, Wellington U. s. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 16-61120-1 the New Zealand Anbassador, Nr. Leslie K. Munro, paid a courtesy call on me today. In response to questions from Mr. Nunro, I made some general observations on political developments in France and on the Tunisian problem. The Ambassador connented on the dilemna posed by the need for supporting France in Indo-China and North Africa and the strength in the Arab and Asian countries of anti-coloniel feeling. I pointed out that the French position in Indo-China and in North Africa was quite dissimilar. In the case of Indo-China France had done all that it could be expected to do in transferring responsibility for governnent to the Associated States. The regrettable fact was that the native leaders in the Associated States had shown themselves inefficient and unwilling to assune the responsi- bilities of government. In North Africa, however, the French Govern- ment had been influenced unduly, I thought, by the vested interests of a small group of Frenchmen and had delayed introducing reforms in the local administration. I pointed out that our abstention on the question of placing the Tunisian dispute on the Security Couneil agenda was prompted solely by our belief discussion in the Security Council would not be helpful at this tine. I did say, however, that if reforms DECLASSIFIED E. O. 11652, Sec. 3(E) and 5(D) or 00 5-12-26 Dapt. of State letter, Aug 0, 1973 By NLT HC b NARS Date]-15-26 SECRET