Office of the Historian

172. Memorandum From Secretary of State Vance to President Carter1

Washington, September 6, 1979

[Omitted here are items unrelated to East Africa.]

5. Uganda—We met with President Binaisa on Sept. 2 in New York and discussed the deteriorating security situation in Uganda.2 Binaisa asked us to help strengthen the Ugandan police forces by supplying police vehicles. We raised the matter with Steve Solarz yesterday and Steve agreed to seek quick action in conference to lift restrictions on aid in a joint bill. If Steve is successful, we will work with AID to apply $3 million in FY 79 ESF funds for maximum and immediate political impact. We will also be consulting with interested governments to coordinate assistance, bearing in mind that the security problem is an impediment to any such efforts.

  1. Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Subject File, Box 22, Evening Reports (State) 9/79. Secret. Carter initialed the memorandum.↩
  2. In telegram 232656 to Kampala, September 5, the Department reported on the September 2 meeting between Keeley and Binaisa. (National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D790404–0599)↩