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IMMEDIATE CYPHER/CAT A AND BY BAG R4 F C 0 G91300Z D E D I P CONFIDENTIAL. TO IMMEDIATE CAMEERRA TELUO 133 OF 9 MARCH 197.7 AMD TO IMMEDIATE NASSAU AND CERTAIN OTHER POSTS. AND SAVING TO VICTORIA. FOLLOWING SENT TO WELLINGTON AS TELNO 55 OF 9 MARCH: PERSONAL FOR HEAD OF POST. . . COMMONWEALTH HEADS OF GOVERNMENT MEETING AMD PRESIDENT AMJN. IN RESPONSE TO STRONG EXPRESSIONS OF REPUGNANCE IN PARLIAMENT THAT AM IN SHOULD BE INVITED TO BRITAIN FOR THIS MEETING, THE PRIME MINISTER SAID IM THE HOUSE OF COMMONS ON 22 FEBRUARY THAT HE WOULD BE V.1 ILL IMG TO TAKE SOUNDINGS ON THE MATTER. AS A FIRST STEP I HAVE DISCUSSED THE WHOLE PROBLEM OF AMIN'S ATTENDANCE AT THE CHGM WITH THE COMMONWEALTH SECRETARY GENERAL. ; 2. I WOULD NOW LIKE YOU TO SPEAK Ifl THE MOST INFORMAL MANNER POSSIBLE TO THE PRIME MINISTER/PRESI DENT/HEAD OF GOVERNMENT TO FIND OUT THEIR PRIVATE VIEWS ON THE PROBLEM. I DO NOT WANT YOU TO HAND OVER A MESSAGE OR TAKE ANY OTHER FORMAL STEP. THE POINTS I WANT YOU TO INTRODUCE ARE AS FOLLOWSs (A) YOU SHOULD EXPLAIN THE BACKGROUND IN BRITAIN. THE RECENT KILLINGS IN UGANDA ARE THE CUfcMI NATION OF A PERIOD OF OPPRESSION THE UGANDAN PEOPLE HAVE SUFFERED UNDER AM IN, AND HAVE PROVOKED STRONG REACTIONS AMONGST A WIDE CIRCLE OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC, INCLUDING RELIGIOUS LEADERS, AND THOSE CONCERNED WITH HUMif! RIGHTS ACROSS THE WHOLE POLITICAL SPECTRUM. THIS STRONG AND WIDESPREAD FEELING IS NOT REFLECTED THROUGHOUT THE COMMONWEALTH AND I WANT YOU TO BRING IT HOME TO HEADS OF GOVERNMENT THAT IT IS SIMPLY NOT POSSIBLE FOR THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT TO REMAIN NEGATIVE Ofl THE ISSUE. THE WHOLE SUBJECT OF HUMAN RIGHTS IS NOW COMMANDING GREATER PUBLIC ATTENTION HERE, AND ALSO IN OTHER COUNTRIES SUCH AS THE UNITED STATES, AND IT IS NEITHER RIGHT NOR'POSSIBLE TO EXCLUDE UGANDA FROM SCRUTINY JUST BECAUSE SHE IS A MEMBER OF THE COM'-'OS'WTALTH. MOREOVER, THE -IMAGE OF THE CO':."O,MWE,''LTM ITJfTLF ( I'I THIC CCU'iT^Y) IS GGI:!G TO TUFFER IF IT IS SEEN TO IGNORE OR CONDONE INFRINGEMENTS OF HUMA?»* RIGHTS IN A MEMDEJ? COUNTRY. CONFIDENTIAL " /(B) YOU