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IMMEDIATE CONFIDENTIAL S 6 0 0 A CYPHER/CAT A FROM F C 0 070553Z •CONFIDENTIAL . DESKBY 070800Z TO IMMEDIATE LAGOS TELEGRAM NUMBER 397 OF 7 JUNE INFO PRIORITY NAIROBI AND JEDDA, PRESIDENT AMIN. IN THE LIGHT OF THE REPORT IN KAMPALA TELEGRAM NUMBER 120 AND SUBSEQUENT PRESS REPORTS THAT KAMPALA RADIO HAD ANNOUNCED PRESIDENT AMIN'S INTENTION OF FLYING TO EUROPE ON 7 JUNE, THE PRIME MINISTER INVITED BRIGADIER YAR ADUA AND BRIGADIER GARBA TO CALL AT 10 DOWNING STREET ON THEIR ARRIVAL IN LONDON. BRIGADIER YAR ADUA EXCUSED HIMSELF ON THE GROUNDS OF ILLNESS, BUT BRIGADIER""" GARBA CALLED AT 2230, ACCOMPANIED BY THE ACTING HIGH COMMISSIONER. THE MEETING LASTED FOR ABOUT THREE-QUARTERS OF AN HOUR. 2. THE PRIME MINISTER REFERRED TO HIS MESSAGE TO GENERAL OBASANJO, AND SAID THAT HE WANTED TO MAKE CLEAR THAT WE HAD THROUGHOUT FOLLOWED GENERAL OBASANJO'S ADVICE IN PLAYING THE AMIN AFFAIR QUJDV/ AND AVOIDING PUBLIC STATEMENTS. HE HAD BEEN CONCERNED TO PROTECT THE COMMONWEALTH, BUT EMPHASISED THAT THE DECISIONS HAD BEEN OURS, AND THAT WE HAD NO QUARREL WiTH THE PEOPLE OF UGANDA. IF A UGANDAN DELEGATION WERE TO VISIT LONDON, IT WOULD BE RECEIVED WITH DUE COURTESY. 3. BRIGADIER GARBA ARGUED THAT THE NIGERIANS WERE ONLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE AFFAIR BECAUSE WE HAD CONSULTED THEM IN THE FIRST PLACE, AND FELT THAT WE SHOULD HAVE MADE THE PRIME MINISTER'S LETTER TO PRESIDENT AMIN AVAILABLE TO THEM . THE PRIME MINISTER EXPLAINED THAT WE HAD MOT WISHED TO INVOLVE THE NIGERIANS OR THE OOMMOfJWEALTH AND HAD HOPED THAT PRESIDENT AMIN WOULD TAKE A FRIENDLY WORD OF ADVICE NOT TO COME. IF OTHERS CHOSE TO ASSOCIATE WITH HIM, THE VALUE OF THE COMMONWEALTH WAS LIKELY TO BE QUESTIONED BY BRITISH PUBLIC OPINION. CONFIDENTIAL A. IN