TNAG-0901-FCO40-1111-Implications-for-Hong-Kong-of-changes-in-British-nationality-1979 — Page 8

50

n

300

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

1/3

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.

sees?

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.

፡

70

CONFIDENTIAL

/ 5. WE SHOULD SE