◆ SpookStack

DJSUKJST Contingency arrangements must be made at Stansted in case the two Uganda Airlines Boeings due on Sunday 29 May are carrying Amin or possibly an advance party. They should however be as discreet as possible. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office believe that troop reinforcements must be available if the relevant authority requires them, but everything possible should be done to minimise the risk of disclosing in advance an intention to use troops, since this could work against the Saudi recommendation that the atmosphere be kept as calm as possible at present. The Departure of Amin (paragraphs 16 - 20) The Foreign and Commonwealth Office are firmly of the view that every effort should be made to encourage President Amin to leave of his own accord in the aircraft by which he arrived. Any other alternative would present international problems for Her Majesty's Government more difficult than holding Amin and his party and their aircraft until he gives up and goes away. (a) Scheduled Service Her Majesty's Government might cause serious embarrassment to the Government of the destination of a scheduled aircraft, since we would in effect be forcibly deporting the Head of a State to that destination. In those circumstances we would be bound to consult the foreign government concerned urgently, and we would have to contemplate the possibility of a refusal. The possibility of President Amin agreeing to leave willingly to go he could go in his own aircraft. The only airlines with a scheduled service to Uganda are Sabena, Air France and Ethiopian Airways. It is highly unlikely that these airlines would agree to carry President Amin if he were travelling against his will, and at the very least they might wish to consult their governments. Her Majesty's Government would certainly have to do so in the case of friendly governments, such as the Belgian, French and German. (b) Charter Aircraft Similar problems apply as in the case of a scheduled airliner. Choice of a British charter aircraft would be undesirable, since President Amin might well make difficulties for the aircraft and crew once in Uganda, and charter companies, particularly British ones, might well be very reluctant. (c) RAF Aircraft The Foreign and Commonwealth Office see serious obstacles to the proposition that an RAF aircraft might be used to fly Amin out of the UK. This, more than anything else, would arouse Commonwealth and international concern on the grounds that we were forcibly conveying a Head of State to a destination not of his own choice. There would be grave consequences for the CHGM. Difficulties and embarrassments would also be caused to our relations with other countries if we were to seek their co-operation in obtaining overflight clearance and permission to land.