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ML. 4, IN SPITE OF REPEATED REQUESTS BY BRIGADIER GARBA TO SEE THE TEXT OF THE PRIME MINISTER'S LETTER, THE PRIME MINISTER DECLINED TO GIVE THIS ON THE GROUNDS THAT IT WAS A PRIVATE AND CONFIDENTIAL COMMUNICATION AND-NOT THEREFORE OPEN TO HIM TO REVEAL OTHERS. BRIGADIER GARBA ASKED WHO HAD DELIVERED THE MESSAGE, AND THE PRIME MINISTER AGREED TO CHECK WITH THE GOVERNMENT CONCERNED THAT THEY HAD NO OBJECTION TO US INFORMING THE NIGERIANS. AFTER SUBSEQUENT CONTACT WITH THE SAUDI ARABIAN AMBASSADOR, THE PRIME MINISTER TELEPHONED BRIGADIER GARBA LATER TO-NIGHT TO TELL HIM THAT THE MESSAGE HAD BEEN DELIVERED BY THE SAUDIS AFTER DISCUSSION BETWEEN HIMSELF AND PRINCE FAHD LAST MONTH. 5. BRIGADIER GARBA SEEMED INTENT ON MAKING AN ISSUE OF THE FACT THAT WE HAD NOT REVEALED THE TEXT OF THE PRIME MINISTER'S LETTER TO THE NIGERIANS, ALTHOUGH THE INFORMATION ABOUT THE SAUDI ROLE PROBABLY WENT SOME. WAY TO MOLLIFY HIM. THE PRIME MINISTER EMPHASISED SEVERAL TIMES THAT HE HAD THROUGHOUT HANDLED THE AFFAIR IN ACCORDANCE WITH GENERAL OBASANJO'S ADVICE, AND THAT IF HE H A D . - , IN ANY WAY BEEN UNFAIR TO THE NIGERIANS, HE WAS GENUINELY SORRY FOR THIS. HE ASKED BRIGADIER GARBA TO ACCEPT THAT HIS MESSAGE TO GENERAL '_QBA.S,ANJO HAD CONTAINED A FULL EXPLANATION OF OUR ATTITUDE. 6. FULL RECORD FOLLOWS BY BAG. OWEN DEPARTMENTAL DISTN ' ADDITIONAL DISTN CCD CHGM EAD • NIGERIA PCD OADS PUSD 1977 CONF UNIT WAD MED NEWS D - 2 - . CONFI DENT IAL