[Franco-Tunisian Protocol.] Seven duplicated typed documents, in French, starting with 'Note | Protocole Franco-Tunisien signe a Paris le 21 Avril 1955 entre le Gouvernement Francais et le Gouvernment Tunisien sur l'Autonomie interne de la Tunisie'.

Author: 
Salah Ben Youssef (1907-1961), Secretaire General du Neo-Destour [Tunisia; Franco-Tunisian Protocol, 1955; the Maghreb]
Publication details: 
'Le Caire, le 16 Mai 1955.' [Cairo, Egypt. 16 May 1955.]
£500.00
SKU: 13799

The Encylopaedia Britannica gives the background to these items: 'The Neo-Destour was formed in 1934 by discontented young members of the more conservative Destour. After a bitter struggle with the parent organization, it became the predominant party under the leadership of Habib Bourguiba in 1937. It was harassed by French authorities throughout the 1940s and began an armed rebellion in 1953 that led to Tunisian independence in 1956. | A Neo-Destour government was then formed. In 1958 Bourguiba was appointed the first premier of Tunisia, and in 1959 he was overwhelmingly voted president. Internally, however, the Neo-Destour had begun to split in the early 1950s, one group supporting Bourguiba, the other aligning itself with Salah Ben Yusuf, who had led the party when Bourguiba was imprisoned by the French. Ben Yusuf was expelled from the party in 1955, established himself in Cairo, and initiated a six-year guerrilla campaign against the Neo-Destour, the French, and Bourguiba. He was found murdered on Aug. 14, 1961, and his followers soon disappeared.' The 'Neo-Destour' of these papers is a breakaway organisation, whose pronouncements would have carried the same weight in Tunisia as those of Chiang Kai-Shek's Republic of China did in the People's Republic. No record of any of the documents in this collection has been found, either in the catalogue of the Bibliotheque Nationale or elsewhere. The seven documents total 19pp., foolscap 8vo, with each page on a separate leaf, and the whole attached with a paperclip. The similarity of the typing throughout suggests that the seven items derive from the same source. In fair condition, on aged paper with staining from paperclip. Of the following seven items, all but Two and Seven are separately paginated. ONE: 'Note | Protocole Franco-Tunisien signe a Paris le 21 Avril 1955 entre le Gouvernement Francais et le Gouvernment Tunisien sur l'Autonomie interne de la Tunisie'. 2pp. Signed at end: 'SALAH BEN YOUSSEF | Secrétaire Général du Neo-Destour | Le Caire, le 16 Mai 1955'. TWO: 'Declaration de Mr. Salah Ben Youssef'. 1p. Headed: 'Bandung. le 24 Avril 1955.' THREE: 'Projet de Convention Generale entre la France et la Tunisie'. 6pp. FOUR: 'Convention sur la Police'. 2pp. FIVE: 'Convention Judiciaire'. 2pp. SIX: 'Convention Economique et Financiere | Principaux Articles et Commentaires'. 5pp. SEVEN: 'Participation des Francais a la Vie Politique en Tunisie'. 1p. This collection derives from the papers of the English journalist George Bilainkin (c.1903-1981).