◆ SpookStack

CONFIDENTIAL LORD THOMSON'S VIEWS ON PRESIDENT AMIN'S POSSIBLE ATTENDANCE AT THE COMMONWEALTH HEADS 01 GOVERNMENT MEETING (CHGM) 1. After visiting 15 Commonwealth countries, Lord Thomson reports general detestation of Amin and hope that he will not attend the CHGM. The majority, however, consider that as a Head of Government Amin has a right to attend. Virtually all are anxious that opposition to Amin should not affect Uganda's position as a member of the Commonwealth, and would like Uganda to be represented "by a low-key delegation. Most hope that Britain, as host, will take steps to ensure that he does not attend; but they have little or no idea how this should be done, apart from the thought that pressure from Qadaffi or the Saudis might help. Some suggested that we should warn Amin about dangers to his security if he came, but one questioned whether the UK could really claim not to be able to guarantee his safety here when the Americans had coped with Castro and Arafat at the UN in New York; Lord Thomson is not in favour of relying on warnings over security to try to deter Amin, since it would be unconvincing and, politically, unnecessarily humiliating to claim incapacity in such a matter. 2. If Amin were to attend it is unlikely that anyone would walk out, although the Australians are inclined not to sit at the same table as Amin. 3. If we could persuade Amin beforehand not to come, all would be happy. 4. If nevertheless he arrived and we excluded him from the UK, there might well be legalistic objections to the UK, as one among 36 equal member countries, deciding who should and who should not be present at Commonwealth meetings. This view was unanimously expressed by the Caribbean leaders, perhaps as a result of inter- governmental consultation and/or briefing by the Commonwealth Secretary-General. Much would depend on how we presented our actions and the timing of them, how we prepared opinion here and in the Commonwealth and how the Africans reacted. To act too early could allow Amin to mobilise OAU opinion against us. Many countries would fall in with any consensus. There is some danger of a bandwagon of criticism developing, should anyone speak out strongly against us. The Nigerians may be the most difficult. Lord Thomson's view is that it is unlikely that the reaction would be so serious as to lead to anyone walking out of the Meeting - but probably only the Australians would speak out in our support. 5- Lord Thomson's judgement is that Amin should be kept away, by carefully timed prior action if possible, but by physical turning back at the airport at the last minute if necessary. foreign and Commonwealth Office 11 May 1977 CONFIDENTIAL