Evening star., 1961-07-23
TUNISIA
Continued From First Page

| OOHShuuCu EEOH EAASt oSc
Of machinegun fire was heard
near the Tunis civilian airport
The semi-official Tunisian
news agency said a plane OF
the United States World War
II Corsair type-which the
French air force uses-had
strafed a military air installa-
ton near the field, about five
miles from the city. Apparent
ly it caused no injuries or
damage.
Now that a cease-fire has
been declared. neither the
French nor the Tunisian gov
eminent has made clear just
what it intends to do.
President Habib Bourguiba's s
TuniSian government indicated
it is willing to talk things over
with the French by saying its
troops will hold their present
positions pending what 1t called
an accord.
In orders from Paris, Vice
Admiral Maurice Amman
French commander in Bizerte,
was instructed to offer to meet
local Tunisian authorities to
diScnSS a cease-fire.
Admiral Amman was not au-
thorized to negotiate with Mr.
Bourguiba, who earlier had
called on his army and people
to fight until the French agree
to negotiate withdrawal.
French Premier Mich el
Debre's office said in a COM
munique that "our troops, hav-
ing released our military in
Stallations from the blockade
to which they had been SUBJ
jected, and having assured the
free operation Of the base" d"
have been ordered to restrict
themselves to purely defensive
actions"
This was a reference to
French seizure of both banks
of the canal that leads through
Bizerte city from the Mediter-
| ranean to Lake Bizerte, the bay
on which France built massive
military installations while
TuniSia was a French pro-
tectorate.
Lane TO Sea Open
Vital lines to sea commune
cations thus were protected.
The communique made nc
mention of any order to the
French troops to pull from
positions they have occupied
since the shooting broke out
Tuesday. The Security Coun-
Gil had urged such a with
drawal.
French officials said that, in
their view, a withdrawal to pre-
battle positions requires resto-
ration of the situation existing
before the Tunisians attempted
to blockade the base. This
would mean unhindered French
use of the installations.
Some TuniSian officials COM
planned the Security Council
said nothing about withdrawal
Of French troops from Tunisian
soil - Mr.. Bourguiba's an
nounced aim.
The Tunisian government,
however, said French person.
mel have evacuated the Skhira
pipeline terminal along the
southern coast Of Tunisia. Mr..
Bourguiba ordered the terminal
seized as the first act Of eco
nomic reprisal against France.
Before the order to halt Of
fensiveS went out, French para
troopers were mopping up snip
ers in the Bizerte area and half
a dozen French vessels sailed in
to bolster the naval and air base
against Tunisia'S threats of
eviction.
French officers told newsmen
strong pockets Of Tunisian re-
sistance were holding out in
Bizerte and on the outskirts,
although access to the city was
controlled by French tanks.
Some isolated Tlnisian SOL
diers and civilians fought on
with rifles and gasoline bombs,
and Tunisian flags still flew de-
family over some areas OF the
city.
But the French had brought
in strong reinforcementS. Two
destroyer escorts and four tank
landing ships OSTS) cruised
without incident down the
canal, called lie Goulet (The
Gullet), to join forces massed
around the inner bay.
Mr.. Debre's office said the
order to Admiral Amman was
issued to comply with the U. N.
Security Council decision. But
the communique, while empha-