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e.fi. '-AT TO IMMEDIATE LAGOS TELNO 394 OF 2/6 PLEASE PASS FOLLOWING. MESSAGE FROM THE PRIME MINISTER TO GENERAL GBASAMJO. *BEGIHSi . . . • _ r. US iwWi J , - \ L I V l L O p A G E DEAR GENERAL OBASAMJO, ' . SERIAL N o T / 2 3 / T 7 OUR HIGH .COMMISSION HAVE REPORTED YOUR'GOVERNMENT'S "CONCERN ABOUT THE QUESTION OF PRESIDENT AMIH'S ATTENDANCE AT THE CH6M IN LONDON NEXT WEEK. I THOUGHT I SHOULD WRITE TO YOU PERSONALLY TO FOLLOW UP THE DISCUSSION WHICH LORD THOMSON HAD WITH YOU IN APRIL AND TO LET YOU KNOW THAT WE HAVE APPROACHED THIS PROBLEM IN A MANNER THAT WILL MOT HARM THE COMMONWEALTH OR INVOLVE ANY OTHER MEMBER. W E N LORD THOMSON SAW YOU, HE EXPLAINED THE VERY SERIOUS EFFECT . ' OF BRITISH PUBLIC OPINION WHICH PRESIDENT AMIM'S POSSIBLE PRESENCE IN LOMDON COULD CAUSE FOR US AND FOR THE COMMONWEALTH. SUBSEQUENTLY PARLIAMENT HAS DECLARED ITSELF DEEPLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE ISSUE .-—>• CF HUMAN RIGHTS IN UGANDA AND WHAT WE BELIEVE TO BE PRESIDENT AMIN'S PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR GRAVE VIOLATION. LORD THQMSCN MENTIONED TO YOU THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO GIVE PRESIDENT Miff A QUIET SIGNAL WHICH WOULD DISSUADE HIM FROM ATTENDING, BUT IT HAD BEEN OUR HOPE THAT PRESIDENT AM IN HIMSELF WOULD REALISE THE STRENGTH OF OPINION HERE, AND DECIDE TO STAY AWAY. WE HAVE ALWAYS MADE IT CLEAR THAT WE HAD NO QUARREL V/lTH THE • PEOPLE OF UGANDA AND THAT WE FULLY RECOGNISED THAT UGANDA, AS A MEMBER OF THE COMMONWEALTH, HAD A RIGHT TO BE REPRESENTED AT THE COMMONWEALTH MEETING. BUT THE GOVERNMENT CANNOT DISREGARD THE UNIVERSAL STRENGTH OF FEELING if! THIS COUNTRY ABOUT PRESIDENT AM IN HIMSELF. I THEREFORE SENT HIM RECENTLY A COURTEOUS PRIVATE AND UMPUBLICISED MESSAGE IN WHICH I TOLD HIM OF THE 55TRONG FEELING THAT EXISTS IN BRITAIN AMD EXPLAINED OUR VIEW THAT IT WOULD NOT BE APPROPRIATE FOR HIM TO VISIT LOMDON. IN DOING SO, I WAS CAREFUL TO AVOID ANY SPECIFIC REFERENCE TO THE COMMONWEALTH HfcADS OF GOVERNMENT. INDEED, WITH YOUR ADVICE \H MIND, I SENT THE MESSAGE THROUGH A GOVERNMENT, FRIENDLY BOTH TO BRITAIN AND TO UGANDA, AND MADE IT CLEAR THAT I WAS ACTING FOR THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT AND IN NO WAY SEEKING TO INVOLVE' OTHER COWXflWSALTH MEMBERS. I . ALSO MADE IT CLEAR THAT WE HAD NO WISH TO EXCLUDE UGANDA F3OM THE f-'EFTlMG IN LONDON. I TOOK