Foreign Relations of the United States, 1964–1968, Volume XXIV, Africa

152. Memorandum From Secretary of State Rusk to the Administrator of the Agency for International Development (Bell)¹

Washington, May 10, 1965.

SUBJECT

• Economic Aid to Tunisia

During my recent talks with Tunisian Foreign Secretary Bourguiba, Jr.,² he raised the question of a cash loan to build up Tunisian resources. I told him that a cash loan would be difficult under present circumstances. However, I assured him that we would view sympathetically Tunisia’s short-term economic needs and how we could most effectively assist his country within the limits of our aid procedures and balance of payments problems. In this context I welcomed AID’s agreement to assist the next Tunisian Four Year Plan.

Tunisian Secretary of State for Plan and National Economy Ahmed Ben Salah will arrive this week to discuss details of Tunisia’s economic assistance needs. I am profoundly interested in continuing our support of Tunisia. To this end, I hope you will assure that to the extent possible our responses to Ben Salah’s requests are in consonance with our close relations with Tunisia, especially in the light of its recent helpful policies on a number of international issues.

Dean Rusk ³

1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, AID (US) TUN. No classification marking. Drafted by Nelson in AFN.
2. The memorandum of the Secretary’s conversation with Foreign Minister Bourguiba is ibid., POL TUN–US.
3. Printed from a copy that indicates Rusk signed the original.