France to Safeguard Rights of Jews in Algeria in Talks on Independence

French Ambassador Herve Alphand made it known here today that France will safeguard the rights of Algerian Jews in its negotiations concerning Algerian independence. The French assurance was coincidental with the opening of discussions here today, involving Algeria, between President John F. Kennedy and President Habib Bourguiba, of Tunisia.

Ambassador Alphand rejected Algerian nationalist FLN attempts to deny Jews the same options accorded other French nationals in any settlement of the independence issue. Commenting on negotiations in the wake of the unsuccessful military coup in Algeria, the French Ambassador said: “It is the basis of the French policy not only that each ethnic community living in Algeria must be granted the possibility to determine its own future but also that all the Algerians who will express their will to remain French, will continue to be French.

“There cannot be any just and peaceful settlement of the Algerian problem if not in accordance with the rules of democracy, which means in full respect of the rights of the individual. This applies to all the Algerian population, whatever their religion may be.” Mr. Alphand’s assurance was stated in a letter to I. L, Feuer, national commander of the Jewish War Veterans of the United States.

The Ambassador said that “for the French Government, self-determination means the safeguard of the legitimate rights of the individual. For the FLN, it may mean domination by a totalitarian organization over a country despite all the existing differences of origin and aspirations between the various parts of the population.”

In the forthcoming negotiations, the Ambassador stated, France would need ” the moral backing of all those abroad who love freedom and respect human rights. “He made it clear that he referred to the guarantees required by Algerian Jews to exert their rights to self-determination in the event Algeria should become independent.