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CONFIDENTIAL Foreign and Commonwealth Office London SW1A 2AH 17 November 1978 Uganda-Tanzania ^----v Consideration of a response to President Nyerere's appeal to fk \(O-US ^ o r g o v e r i m e n t > t o~g o v e r n i n e n t military assistance, to which you ^ ^ /referred in your letter to me of 10 November, was suspended in the light of the Ugandan announcement of an unconditional withdrawal from Tanzanian territory. The Tanzanians continue to deny a withdrawal is taking place although we believe that Ugandan troops are in fact withdrawing to barracks. In the circumstances, Dr Owen believes that we should now switch our attention to our offer of humanitarian relief and rehab- ilitation in the area which came under attack. We would also continue to ensure expeditious handling of orders for defence equip- ment already placed by the Tanzanian Government with United Kingdom companies, in particular bridging equipment. We shall also need to discuss with the Tanzanians a request now put to us that atnmunitii for the Scorpion tanks being delivered by sea should be sent by air. The Tanzanians would be expected to pay for the extra cost of air freight. Our High Commissioner in Dar-es-Salaam is being instructed to speak accordingly to the Tanzanian Government. The High Commission* is being asked whether it would be a useful gesture if we were also to offer the Tanzanians 10 Plessey mine detectors, which are immed- iately available here, to be'air-freighted out at our expense to hel| them in clearing the area for civilian rehabilitation. The equiprnei would cost only about £8,500, and air freight would not be expensive, The cost could be borne within the FCO Votes. In the event of such an offer being accepted an announcement would probably have to be mac in Parliament; the equipment would be presented as being supplied in the task of making the area concerned fit for civilian resettlemer I am sending copies of this letter to the Private Secretaries to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Minister of Defence and the Minister of Overseas Development, and to Martin Vile (Cabinet Office) (J S Wall) Bryan Cartledge Seq No 10 Downing Street