Bizerta Presenting Problem To U.S.

Press, Volume C, Issue 29599, 23 August 1961, Page 15

Bizerta Presenting Problem To U.S.

(NJS. Press Assn.—Copynglt) NEW YORK, August 22. The United States’ views on the French-Tunisian dispute over Bizerta are expected to be made known today when the chief U.S. delegate (Mr Adlai Stevenson) is due to take the floor at the special United Nations General Assembly meeting.

There was no indication in early reports today what the United States stand would be. but the “New York Times” said America was “the clearly embarrassed friend of both parties in the dispute.”

The "Washington Post” urged the United States in an editorial to support the resolution calling for “immediate negotiations” between France and Tunis. Britain today was reported to be encouraging backstage efforts to soften the proposed resolution, which already is regarded by some delegations as “too mild” to ease the French-Tunisian dispute. The British have expressed their views privately to the 32 sponsors of the bid for “immediate negotiations” between France and Tunisia aimed at total French military withdrawal from Tunisian territory.

But formal amendments have not been offered to the resolution which was tabled yesterday, the first day of the Assembly’s special session on the Bizerta crisis. Soviet Criticism

All three of the big Western Powers came under attack yesterday in a wideranging Soviet offensive against the whole concept of foreign military bases, which Russia’s delegate. Mr Platan Morozov, said were a “foundation" of colonialism. Mr Morozov and the delegates of Ghana and Mali declared that the resolution before the Assembly was “too mild” Ghana and Mali, but not the Soviet Union, were among the states sponsoring the draft. Its terms were understood to meet Tunisian wishesThe chief Tunisian delegate Mr Mongi Slim, wanted a resolution which was "strong in principle” while avoiding condemnatory language. Britain and the United States were both expected to cast abstentions if the resolution went to a vote unchanged. Reuter said. The Americans were understood

not to be backing any move to amend the draft. It appeared unlikely that Mr Stevenson would do more than hint at his Government's attitude, although he might outline American motives, observers said, according to the news agency. British and American reservations on the resolution did not mean that these two principal allies of France did not agree with much of its contents, Informants said. A paragraph in the preamble to the resolution referred to “violation of Tunisia’s sovereignty,” and “a permanent source of international friction.” Britain was understood to have balked at such phrases and that alluding to the French military presence in Tunisia “without its consent.” Majority Expected

Observers said there was little doubt that the resolution would obtain a twothirds majority for endorsement even if it remained unchanged. France is boycotting the session.

Describing the United States choice as “another

agonising issue” the “Washington Post” said:— “Questions of tactics apart, the root problem is the unwanted presence of French forces upon the soil of another sovereign country. Sooner or later Tunisian wishes will have to be respected. . . . “By no meant every anticolonial resolution in the United Nations is wise or deserves American support. . . . “But the present resolution is a mild one. calling principally for negotiations, and as a pragmatic fact it is very likely to pass. Failure to support it would tend to undercut any good done by the American position on Angola, would jeopardise American influence in Africa and would hand the Communists a propaganda weapon.”