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i •"» MEDIATE GRS 300 CYPHER CAT A FM KAMPALA mi?tfl CONFIDENTIAL TO IMMEDIATE FCO TELNO 133 OF 17 TH APRIL REPEATED FOR INFORMATION TO NAIROBI. MY TELNO 132 : ANGLO UGANDAN RELATIONS. 1 . IN A PREDICTABLE ANGRY RESPONSE TO THE REUTERS REPORT UGANDA RADIO TONIGHT QUOTED THE PRESIDENT AS SAYING INTER ALIA HAT THE COMPENSATION OFFICES HAD BEEN CLOSED AND THE SUBJECT fORGOTTEN, ( YOU WILL NO DOUBT SEE FULL TEXT), 2 . IT IS STILL NOT CLEAR WHETHER THE'PRESIDENT KNEW, WHEN MAKING "BIS STATEMENT , THAT THE RESTRICTIONS ON THE UGANDA HIGH COHMlssION IN LONDON HAD BEEN LIFTED , EUT THIS WOULD NOT OF ITSELF HAVE BEEN ENOUGH TO PREVENT THE OUTBURST. THE PRIME $ U S £ K\S THE PR I^E MINISTERS REJECTION OF PRESIDENT A M I N ' S INVITATION TO GO TO UGANDA. 3. ALTHOUGH I DOUBT WHETHER AM IN EXPECTED THE PRIME MINISTER TJ COME I N PERSON- ANYMORE THAN HE EXPECTED MR HEATH LAST YEAR- HE WOULD HAVE HOPED FOR SOME COMPROMISE PROPOSAL E.G. A MEETING ELSEWHERE OR THE OFFER TO SEND SOMEONE ELSE, IN OTHER WORDS THE INVITATION' WAS PROBABLY AN OPENING B I D . 3 . IN THE LIGHT OF UGANDA'S CONTINUING FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES (T IS TEMPTING TO REGARD THE PRESIDENT'S RECENT OVERTURES AS PART OF AN ELABORATE HOAX. I DO NOT THINK IT WAS. I BELIEVE "RAT THE PRESIDENT VMS FOR ONCE SINCERE IN MOST OF WHAT HE SAID AID PROPOSED. WHETHER THE PRIME MINISTER'S REPLY (RATHER THAN THE REUTERS VERSION OF IT) WOULD HAVE PRODUCED A DIFFERENT FcACTION IS ANOTHER MATTER BUT HAD I BEEN GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY (f SPEAKING TO IT THERE WAS AT LEAST A CHANCE THAT THINGS WOULD WVE TURNED OUT DIFFERENTLY. 5. THE PRESIDENT' S PRIDE HAS OBVIOUSLY BEEN SEVERELY HURT. THE SLAMMED DOOR WILL HOT EASILY BE REOPENED. IN HIS PRESENT MOOD I DOUBT WHETHER THREATS ARE LIKELY TO HAVE ANY EFFECT. ANOTHER CONFIDENTIAL / MESSAGE