Office of the Historian

89. Memorandum of Conversation0

December 12, 1960.

SUBJECT

  • Conversation Between President Eisenhower and Prime Minister Mocktar Ould Daddah, of Mauritania, at the White House, December 12, 19601

PARTICIPANTS

  • U.S.
    • President Eisenhower
    • Mr. J.C. Satterthwaite, Assistant Secretary for African Affairs
    • Mr. Clement E. Conger, Deputy Chief of Protocol
    • Mr. E. S. Glenn, Interpreter
  • Mauritania
    • Prime Minister Mocktar Ould Daddah
    • Vice President of the National
    • Assembly of Mauritania,
    • Souleymane Ould Cheick Sidiya

The President congratulated the Prime Minister on the Soviet veto at the United Nations.2 This, he said jokingly, proves that Mauritania has already gained the status of one of those powers on which the Soviets vent their ire. The President said that he was hopeful that the question of admission to the United Nations will be settled in spite of the Soviets.

The President asked whether the Prime Minister considered as serious the Moroccan pretensions to Mauritania.

The Prime Minister answered that he did not as Morocco had neither juridical nor political title and as the accession of Mauritania to independence settled the question in any case.

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The President asked about the population of Mauritania, and the Prime Minister replied that the census found 650,000 people. In reality, the number was closer to a million, since the greatest part of the population are nomads who are hard to account for. In addition, they often give the census takers less than the full count of their families, as mentioning the number of one’s own children may bring the evil eye and even death to them. In response to a question by the President, the Prime Minister described the economic prospects of Mauritania, mentioning the very rich iron ore deposits at Fort Gouraud, the somewhat less rich copper deposits and the probability of finding oil in Mauritania. He stated in particular that the oil companies were probably past mere exploration and were certain that oil existed in Mauritania.

The President asked the Prime Minister his opinion of the sudden explosion of violence in Algeria and the Prime Minister indicated that he did not have any recent information about the situation in Algeria. The Algerian problem is of great concern to all of the African States. General De Gaulle is the only one capable of finding a solution; unfortunately he faces opposition on the part of many French politicians and of the French settlers in Algiers. In addition he cannot count on the army, the attitude of which is still uncertain. The solution must be found, however; otherwise France will not only lose Algeria, but the friendship of the other African nations.

The President asked the Prime Minister what he thought of the present situation, in which General De Gaulle was caught in the middle between the ultras and the FLN.

The Prime Minister repeated that he did not have any recent information on the situation in Algeria, but that he believed that the Moslem explosion was due to despair and to the fact that most Algerians are unaware of the difficulties inherent in independence. At the same time, he repeated, the solution must be found, as the Algerian situation is a festering wound for all of Africa and for the West.

Both the President and the Prime Minister expressed their belief in the sincerity of General De Gaulle. The Prime Minister reiterated that the continuation of Algerian difficulties can only play into the hands of the Communists, who are exploiting it to penetrate Africa. Success on their part would be a tragedy to the free world as well as to Africa.

With reference to Algeria, the President stated that he felt that the declaration in September, 1959, by General De Gaulle could provide a good basis for settlement.

The President assured the Prime Minister of the friendship of the United States, and the Prime Minister assured the President of the firm attachment of Mauritania to the principles of the free world.

  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 770V.13/12–1260. Confidential. Drafted by Glenn and Satterthwaite on December 19 and approved by the White House on January 4, 1961.↩
  2. The Prime Minister also met that day with Acting Secretary of State Henderson, who told him that Ambassador Villard would remain accredited to Mauritania for the time being but that the United States intended to establish an embassy in Nouakchott. (Ibid., 611.70E/12–1260)↩
  3. The Soviet Union vetoed Mauritania’s application to the United Nations on December 4.↩