CONFIDENTIAL
4.
There is a further question, namely the advice (if any) the FCO should give to the Palace about their response when Questa approach them for Royal approval. I am told that procedure on these occasions requires The Queen either to approve the designs or return them without comment. As the designs are submitted for Royal approval purely as a matter of courtesy, I understand there is no question of The Queen being able to require the designs to be withdrawn.
5. However, these stamps could clearly occasion adverse publicity in this country when they appear. Amin might use the issue to pretend a relationship with the UK which does not exist. Moreover, we should like to avoid being put in a situation where by it would be possible for The Queen to be represented as having approved the designs.
6.
Subject to the views of recipients of this minute, I think the next step might be for Protocol and Conference Department to have an informal word with the Palace to warn them of what is afoot and ensure they have the public relations aspects in mind. In the event of the designs not being approved by the Palace we should hope that this could be conveyed to Questa in some appropriate manner. In this case it might become desi- rable to tell the press that approval was not given, should the Ugandans decide to let the issue go ahead.
7 December, 1978
сс
Miss Farrell, HK & GD
Mr Barltrop, CCD
Mr Steel, Legal Advisers News Department
CONFIDENTIAL
Налиий
A G Munro
East African Dept