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NFIDENTIAL
FM FCO 0716207 AUG 79
TO ROUTIME ANGUILLA
CONFIDENTIAL
НККЗно
KK 340|:PA
TELEGRAM NUMBER 51 OF 7 AUGUST
AND TO ALL OFFICERS ADMINISTERING GOVERNMENTS OF
TERRITORIES
NATIONALITY LAW
PENDENT
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1. MINISTERS HAVE DECIDED THAT A NATIONALITY DILL SHOULD BE
INTRODUCED THIS SESSION, POSSIBLY BEFORE CHRISTMAS.
2. MINISTERS RECOGNISE THAT THE 1977 GREEN PAPER PROPOSAL TO
INTRODUCE A 2-TIER NATIONALITY AROUSED CONSIDERABLE OPPOSITION
IN DEPENDENT TERRITORIES AND THAT MOST TERRITORIES WOULD PREFER TO MAINTAIN THE STATUS QUO. THEY NEVERTHELESS CONSIDER IT. NECESSARY TO MAKE A STATUTORY DISTINCTION BETWEEN CLASSES OF
UNITED KINGDOM NATIONALS WITH DIFFERENT RIGHTS OF ABODE.
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3. IN ORDER TO MEET THE CONCERNS EXPRESSED BY CERTAIN TERRITORIES, MINISTERS ARE PREPARED TO CONSIDER DIVIDING THE PRESENT CITIZENSHIP
OF THE UNITED KINGDOM AND COLONTES INTO 3 CATEGORIES INSTEAD OF 2, ON THE FOLLOWING LINES:-
A) PERSONS CONNECTED WITH THE UNITED KINGDOM AND WITH RIGHT OF
ABODE THERE:
B) THOSE CONNECTED WITH EXISTING DEPENDENT TERRITORIES AND WITH
RIGHTS OF ABODE THERE:
C) THOSE WITHOUT RIGHTS OF ABODE IN EITHER THE UNITED KINGDOM OR A
DEPENDENT TERRITORY.
THIS SCHEME WOULD CORRESPOND WITH THE CONSTITUTIONAL POSITION AND
WOULD THUS, WE HOPE, BE LESS OBJECTIONABLE TO PEOPLE OF THE
DEPENDENT TERRITORIES THAN ONE WHICH GROUPS THEM TOGETHER WITH
WHO BELONG NOWHERE,
4. MY FIRST IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING TELEGRAM SETS OUT POSSIBLE TITLES
FOR THE PROPOSED 3 CATEGORIES OF UNITED KINGDOM NATIONALS (NO DECISIONS HAVE YET BEEN TAKEN). MY SECOND IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING
TELEGRAM DEALS WITH THE WAY IN WHICH THE NEW CITIZENSHIP WOULD BE
ACQUIRED.
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