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-6- since President Amin had published his own version of the letter, he saw no reason why the Prime Minister should not do likewise. He then asked if the Prime Minister could tell him who had carried the letter to Uganda. The Prime Minister said that he would certainly ask the Government concerned whether they had any objection to the Nigerians being informed of this. In conclusion, the Prime Minister said that the Nigerians had heard President Amin's version of his letter, and had also seen his own message to General Obasanjo. Brigadier Garba said that he did not want to give the impression that the Nigerians were the watchdogs of Africa. They would never have raised this matter, if the British had not approached them in the first place. The Prime Minister said that he was genuinely sorry if there appeared to have been a lack of consultation. It was certainly not intended. But he did not think that the Nigerians should underrate their importance in Africa. Their mediation between Zaire and Angola had been of great importance. The meeting concluded at 2330. Following the meeting, and after consultation with the Saudi Ambassador, the Prime Minister later telephoned Brigadier Garba and told him that he had been in touch with the Government concerned and was able to tell him, for his personal information, that his message to President Amin had been delivered by the Saudi Arabian Government, following discussions between himself and Crown Prince Fah-d in London last month. Prince Fahd had not only agreed to convey the message but to arrange for President Amin to be told that the Saudis also thought it would be inappropriate for him to visit London. Brigadier Garba thanked the Prime Minister for telling him this. Distribution Private Secretary to Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary Sir John Hunt 6 June 1977