NEGOTIATION ON BIZERTA

Press, Volume C, Issue 29624, 21 September 1961, Page 4

NEGOTIATION ON BIZERTA

Atmosphere Improves

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) PARIS, Sept. 20.

A French Foreign Ministry spokesman last night expressed the hope of an early Franco-Tunisian agreement on a return to, normal at Bizerta, the scene of bitter fighting last July. He told a news conference that talks towaids such an agreement were progressing favourably in a good atmosphere and a thinning out of present French troop dispositions around the giant North African Air and Naval Base was already possible. Tunis Radio reported earlier that French troops had begun removing barbed wire barriers across streets in the town of Bizerta. The Tunisian Neo-Destour —ruling party newspaper “Al Amal” reported an agreement on Monday night on withdrawal of French troops to their original positions, but this was not confirmed in Paris.

The French spokesman said that after the first stageagreement on a return to normal negotiations could open on the basic problem of the future of the base, “but in other conditions and at another level.” Recent talks have been conducted by Mr Hedi Mokaddem, acting Governor of Bizerta, and Mr Xavier Janot, French Consul General in Bizerta.