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he United Kingdom and Colonies into two. Several of our
Dependent Territories have raised strong objections to this,
firstly because the new British Overseas Citizenship would be
seen as a second class citizenship, but also because Citizens
of the United Kingdom and Colonies with a direct constitutional
relationship with the British Government through their links
with Dependent Territories would be lumped together with those
who belong nowhere. The proposal is particularly sensitive
in Hong Kong because the majority of CUKCS overseas live there
but it is equally resented in Gibraltar and the Falkland
Islands. The Governor of Hong Kong explained his concerns to
Mr Raison during his recent visit to London, and Lord
Carrington was given a further indication of the strength of
feeling on this issue when he himself visited Hong Kong at the
end of last month.
5.
Lord Carrington considers that we should do what we can
to meet the concerns of the Dependent Territories. He
believes that the best way to do this is to establish a three-
tier system on the lines of that proposed by Sir M MacLebose
who suggested that the title Citizen of the United Kingdom
and Colonies be retained for those with the right of abode in
Dependent Territories, in addition to creating the two new
citizenships you have in mind. You say in your letter that
there seems to be no way in which this can sensibly be done.
However, the three-tier citizenship more ne
nearly corresponds
with the constitutional position than a two-tier system.
Lord Carrington thinks this point needs much more attention.
6. Lord Carrington is also uneasy about some of the other
provisions, including the future of British Subject status,
the implications of transmission of citizenship by descent for
/one
CONFIDENTIAL