◆ SpookStack

CONFIDENTIAL Mr. Crosland has accordingly decided that the balance of risk argues in favour of an early break. The evidence we have suggests that most British subjects who are prepared to heed our advice have now left Uganda. Subject, therefore, to a last minute review of the situation tomorrow morning he will, unless the Prime Minister disagrees, take the opportunity of Question I Time on Wednesday, 28 July, to announce a break in relations. The High Commission in Kampala has been preparing for a break and will close their secure means of communication tomorrow at noon our time. A decision to delay the breach in relations would thus have to be conveyed to Kampala before that time. The remaining staff will then leave Kampala with the exception of the Acting High Commissioner and two others. The Acting High Commissbner will on Wednesday, close to the time of the Parliamentary announcement, inform the Ugandans of the decision to break relations. He will, we hope, be accompanied by the French Ambassador. The other two members of staff will then staff the British interests section of the French Embassy. We have asked the French to look after our interests because neither of the other two Commonwealth countries represented in Kampala, Ghana and India, are suitable and because, of the other two European candidates, the Germans already look after the American interests and Italy was not thought suitable in present circumstances. Mr. Crosland is keen to reduce the risks to British subjects following an announcement as far as he can. We are exploring the possibility of Dr. Waldheim being able to exploit the request for a fact-finding mission in a way which might stabilise the situation or at least buy more time. In his announcement to the House on Wednesday, Mr. Crosland proposes to be more moderate in his language than he had previously intended and to emphasise the fact that the French Embassy would be looking after British interests following the breach in relations. (R. N. Dales)