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CONFIDENTIAL Foreign and Commonwealth Office London SW1A 2AH k *(*\ anXania Thank you for your letter of today tbc CABfNET A ..153SJ.... 19 MAR 1979 FILING INSTRUCTIO FILE No, dato rq/ooipliing that ;h 1979 the Prime Minister hoped that we could be as helpful as possible in response to the Tanzanian request that we should try to persuade the Kenyans to reduce or cut off supplies through Kenya to Uganda. Dr Owen agrees that we should do what we can, without becoming directly and openly involved in an inter-African dispute, to help the Tanzanians, both politically and with defence supplies. Although we cannot meet their request for Blowpipe on security grounds, we are supplying a good deal of defence equipment and are urgently examining whether we can hasten orders now in the pipeline. Politically the immediate need is for President Nyerere to improve his relations with President Moi; the Kenyans regard themselves as the aggrieved party and the Tanzanians must take the initiative here. The Tanzanian High Commissioner called on Dr Owen today to raise arms supplies and Dr Owen took the opportunity to try to steer the Tanzanians towards improved relations with Kenya. I attach two telegrams which have been sent to our High Commission in Dar-es-Salaam recording the conversations. The line which Dr Owen took on the possibility of Kenya reducing supplies to Uganda reflects what we know of Kenyan1views (see Nairobi telno 122 enclosed). I am also arranging for you to see some other reports which make it very clear that President Moi would refuse to help President Nyerere in this way should a request be made-. - I am copying this letter and enclosures to Martin VileV(Cabinet ,••.'„.;, Office). " ' . .i;.",V (J S Wall) Private Secretary '• Bryan Cartledge Esq 10 Downing Street L O N D O N ••;:•-•• .« w tr t • « * - ;vV?i;;"': .'•ty '• •'. CONFIDENTIAL