Conversation at Midnight

Within days, the long-awaited peace talks between representatives of France and the rebel F.L.N. leaders may be under way.

If so, the man most responsible for making these delicate negotiations possible is Tunisia's President Habib Bourguiba. Last week Bourguiba landed at Paris in De Gaulle's own plane and rushed 28 miles to Rambouillet castle to talk long into the night with the French President. Full of praise for De Gaulle as "the only man who stands a chance of succeeding in this perilous, courageous Algerian venture," Bourguiba said emotionally: "This has been the most important day of my life."

De Gaulle had spoken to Bourguiba with the inspired frankness that disarms so many. He told Bourguiba that Algerian independence was inevitable. Far from opposing Algerian aspirations, De Gaulle would do everything in his power to satisfy them. Instead of cutting off free Algeria "without a sou," France would continue economic aid. France's sole desire, said De Gaulle, was to help Algeria overcome poverty and forget the bitter past.

Riot Connoisseur. De Gaulle has managed to reduce the potency of French extremists. Even as the two men conferred, a few hundred demonstrators, led by Jacques Soustelle, marched down the Champs Elysees crying "Algerie Franc,aise!" and "Bourguiba assassin!" Most Parisians watched with indifference and went their way. One cafe waiter, a veteran connoisseur of Parisian riots, said contemptuously, "This is the merest caricature of a demonstration."

De Gaulle asked Bourguiba 1) to help convince the F.L.N. leaders that he was in earnest, 2) to urge on them the wisdom of progressing by stages so that chaos, bloodshed or disorder could be avoided. French public opinion would instantly harden against any policy that seemed to threaten the large and frightened European minority in Algeria, he warne,d. Without making any specific promise, De Gaulle hinted he would soon release from prison a top F.L.N. leader, Mohammed ben Bella. Bourguiba did not press him. "One does not haggle with De Gaulle," he said. "He is too big for that."

Oil Access. Next day, Bourguiba flew to Rabat for the funeral of Morocco's King Mohammed V (see above) and to meet with new King Hassan II and the provisional Premier of the F.L.N., Ferhat Abbas. After a late dinner, the three talked until hours past midnight. With the young King's help, Bourguiba tried to soften the rigid and suspicious posture of the F.L.N. and assure them of De Gaulle's good faith.

Ferhat Abbas was particularly impressed by Bourguiba's account of De Gaulle's position on the Sahara, which the F.L.N. fears France intends to keep. "It is not French sovereignty which is important," De Gaulle had said. "What mat ters is that France should have access to Saharan oil rather than pay for its oil in dollars." The joint communique of the three leaders contained the F.L.N. acceptance of De Gaulle's bid.

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