Extracts from a letter from John J. Hearne to Seán Murphy (Dublin)
'Algeria'

I have the honour to state that Mr. Hussein Ait-Ahmed, Algerian Representative in the United States, called to see me on the 18th May.

[matter omitted]

Mr. Ait-Ahmed ridiculed the idea that Algeria is part of Metropolitan France. About eighty-six per cent of the population is native i.e. Berber. Mr. Ait-Ahmed himself speaks English and French as well as Arabic. Only twelve per cent of the population is French; and two per cent of other European stock. You could not make a country like that, he said, part of France itself merely by putting its affairs under the control of the French Ministry of Interior Affairs.

Islam would always reject Communism.

Mr. Ait-Ahmed spoke of the future Federation of all North Africa, Tunisia, Morocco and Algeria as an ultimate goal.

He said that Algeria would look for the support of Ireland in the United Nations when the subject comes up before the Assembly again. I said that our people had a deep sympathy for other peoples struggling for freedom and that when our Permanent Delegation to the United Nations is appointed he should get in touch with the head of the Delegation in New York.

[matter omitted]