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i MMtUi M T E CCNFI DENT IAL GPS 300 CYPHER CAT A FM LAGOS 021017Z CONFIDENTIAL DESKBY 021100Z TO IMMEDIATE FCO TELNO 487 OF 2 JUNE. COMMONWEALTH HEAD OF GOVERNMENT MEETING 1 . I WAS CALLED IN TODAY TO SEE THE PERMANENT SECRETARY OF THE MEA. SANUSI TOLD ME THAT HE HAD BEEN TELEPHONED FROM DODAN BARRACKS IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE NTV NEWS LAST NIGHT AND ASKED TO SEEK CLARIFICATION FROM US OF WHAT THE PRIME MINISTER SAID IN HIS LETTER TO PRESIDENT AMlN. 2 . SANUSI SAID THAT THE FMG WERE CONCERNED ABOUT A REPORT THAT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT HAD NOW TOLD AM IN THAT HE COULD NOT ATTEND THE CHGM. THE NIGERIANS TOOK THE v |£W THAT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT" COULD NOT EXCLUDE A HEAD OF STATE FROM THE MEETING. WHATEVER HIS FAULTS, THEY SAT WITH AM IN AT THE OAU AND WERE PREPARED TO SIT WITH HIM AT THE CHGM I F HECHOSE TO COME. 3 . SANUSI TOLD ME THAT A DECISION HAD BEEN MADE THAT BRIG. YAR'ADUA WOULD LEAD THE NIGERIAN DELEGATION. THE ANNOUNCEMENT WAS TO HAVE BEEN MADE TODAY BUT WOULD BE HELD BACK. HE INDICATED THAT THIS-WOULD NOW DEPEND ON NIGERIAN CONSIDERATION OF WHETHER THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT WERE EXCLUDING 4 . I TOLD SANUSI THAT I DID NOT KNOW WHAT MESSAGE HAD BEEN SENT TO AM I N , BUT WE HOPED, IN THE INTERESTS OF THE COMMONWEALTH, THAT AMlN WOULD DECIDE TO STAY AWAY FROM THE CHGM. I UNDERTOOK TO REPORT THE NIGERIAN REQUEST. CONFIDENTIAL /5.