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f ,,,«, f.-r> <>•-•>, ,«"•«-, ",-• CAo;NET 0 MINISTRY OF DEFENCE MAIN B U I L D I N G VVHITEHALL LONDON SW'1 Telephone 01-SX-KXS? 2 _'. S 2 i l l / 3 SECRET MO j1/10/23 RLIMG INSTRUCTIONS ' / J tt, 3rd tlovember ee. UGANDA ATTACK ON TANZANIA Thank you fur year latter of 3rd November drawing our attention r..o Drar-es-Sciaam telegram No 757, and seeking Mr Mu.« ley's views on Dr Oweri' s suggestion tl'.at. as a $ie?*tirce. of sympathy arid support for President Nyere?:e. vj.-i rri^ht offer to tly out by RAP' Hercules aircraft four of the. Scorpion tanks which the Tan?..arrians have ordered, and which are due to be •shipped from Hvli next week. Our officials are still studying this but theii." initial enquiries suggest certain practical difficulties: (a) The Scorpions ^11.1 noL be ready for shlpiaeift until the middle of next week; (i>) ' The ammunition, which - as you acknowledged in your letter - was due to go in the second load towards the end of November ~ has not yet cleared the necessary process of inspection and could not, therefore, be ready for shipment for a further two weeks at least; ^ ) The Tanzanians are probably not read/ to receive the Scorpions, in that they have not yet - we understand - the trained crews to man them. It seems to us, therefore, that it would te premature to instruct the High Cooimis;ioner in D^.r-es-Salaam tc float tni.s tug^estion to the Tanzanians over this weekend. MOD officials are continuing to study Dr Oven's suggestion, and I hope to be in a position to give you mere considered ad-zics before close of play next Monday. / It ... Stephen Wall Esq Foreign & Goinmonwealth Office C .& %J\-*. y * O ^ " - , f ' SECRET ;