W 260
COFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
FCO 0817542 AUG 70
NO PRIORITY HONG KONG
MLEGRAM NUMBER 635 OF 8 AUGUST
HKK340
K3401
54
FOR GOVERNOR FROM MCLAREN.
NATIONALITY LAW
51,52,53
No
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1. YOU WILL HAVE SEEN FROM FCO TELS NOS 51-53 TO ANGUILLA THAT
THE HOME OFFICE ARE NOW PREPARED TO CONSIDER DIVIDING THE
PRESENT CITIZENSHIP OF THE UK AND COLONIES INTO 3 SEPARATE
CITIZENSHIPS, INSTEAD OF 2 AS PROPOSED IN THE 1977 GREEN PAPER.
: THIS IS ENCOURAGING. THE TELEGRAMS HAVE BEEN DESPATCHED LARGELY
TO SEEK THE VIEWS OF GOVERNORS OF TERRITORIES OTHER THAN HONG
KONG, WHO HAVE NOT HITHERTO BEEN INFORMED OF THE 3-TIER IOCA.
2. YOU WILL ALSO HAVE SEEN THAT THE HOME OFFICE ARE BEING VERY
RESTRICTIVE ABOUT POSSIBLE TITLES FOR THE PROPOSED CITIZENSHIP
FOR THOSE CONNECTED WITH DEPENDENT TERRITORIES, WOODFIELD HAS
TOLD ME THAT MR WHITELAW IS ADAMANT THAT QUOTE CITIZEN OF THE
UK AND COLONIES UNQUOTE CANNOT BE USED (FOR THE REASON OPEN IN PARAGRAPH 2 OF FCO TELNO 52 TO ANGUILLA): AND IS EQUALLY
OPPOSED TO QUOTE CITIZEN OF VK COLONIES UNQUOTE, WHICH I
UNDERSTOOD TO BE YOUR FALLBACK POSITION, ON THE GROUNDS THAT IT
SOUNDS TOO MUCH LIKE THE PRESENT TITLE. WOOD FIELD ALSO SAID THAT QUOTE BRITISH CITIZEN (HONG KONG) UNQUOTE OR QUOTE BRITISH
CITIZEN OF HONG KONG UNQUTOE WOULD BE UNACCEPTABLE, IT IS NOT
CLEAR WHY.
3. IT WOULD THEREFORE BE PARTICULARLY HELPFUL TO HAVE YOUR
COMMENTS ON TITLES. ! SEE VERY LITTLE PROSPECT OF MAKING HEADWAY WITH QUOTE CITIZEN OF UK COLONIES UNQUOTE, BUT WE MIGHT DE ALDE
TO PERSUADE THE HOME OFFICE TO GIVE FURTHER CONSIDERATION TO SOMETHING ON THE LINES OF QUOTE DRITISH CITIZEN OF HONG KONG
UNQUOTE IF YOU THOUGHT THAT WOULD BE BETTER THAN THE UNAPPEALING
TITLES NOW SUGGESTED.
CARRINGTON
FILES
HKG Q
NTD
FR MURRAY MR FIGS.
CONFIDENTIAL
!