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CONFIDENTIAL Foreign and Commonwealth Office 1 London SW1A 2AH 20 May 1977 President Amin and the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting The Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary met Crown Prince Fahd at Heathrow on his arrival this evening. Prince Saud did not accompany the Crown Prince, but will arrive tomorrow. Dr Owen told Prince Fahd that the strength of feeling about President Amin was so strong that the Government had decided that they could not agree to his coming to Britain. They needed to get a message to President Amin and were asking for Saudi help because the Saudi Ambassador represented Uganda's interests in London, because of the close friendship between Britain and Saudi Arabia, and because the Saudis could be trusted to keep our confidence. Prince Fahd said that he would have no problem in arranging for a message to be delivered. The Saudis believed that It was not in President Amin's interest to attend the Commonwealth meeting. They would deliver our message and suggest to President Amin that it would not be useful for him to come to London. As Dr Owen well knew, President Amin had ideas which were "not suitable". He should be told that, even if he regarded himself as being invited to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, he should none the less not come. Dr Owen said that the mechanics of how to deliver the message could be discussed with the Saudi Ambassador (who was present duri the talk). Crown Prince Fahd suggested that they might ask their Ambassador in Uganda to return to London to take delivery of the message. Dr Owen said that it might be a better idea for the Saudis to send somebody out from London. This ran less risk of drawing attention to the operation. He would let the Saudi Ambassador know what flights were available, although he thought that commercial flights were infrequent. Prince Fahd said that the Saudis would tackle the matter so that it resulted in Presiden- Amin extending an apology for being unable to come to London. /Dr Owen P. R. H. Wright Esq., 10 Downing Street, LONDON SW1 CONFIDENTTAT.