TNAG-0902-FCO40-1112-Implications-for-Hong-Kong-of-changes-in-British-nationality-1979 — Page 181

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4. IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES, WE NEED TO LOOK FOR ANOTHER TITLE. VE

MAY BE PRESSED TO ADOPT ONE WHICH INCLUDES THE WORD BERMUDA,

IN DEFERENCE TO LOCAL WISHES. SPECIFYING THE PARTICULAR TERRITORY

WITH WHICH A PERSON IS CONNECTED - EG. BRITISH CITIZEN

OF BERMUDA - ANYWAY HAS THE MERIT OF BEING PRECISE, IN ADDITION

TO THE ADVANTAGE OF SEEMING MORE LIKELY TO PROVE ACCEPTABLE.

IF THE HOME OFFICE'S UNEXPLAINED OBJECTION TO THE USE OF SUCH A

TERM CANNOT BE OVERCOME, A POSSIBLE ALTERNATIVE IS BRITISH OVERSEAS

CITIZEN OF BERMUDA. WERE THAT ALSO OBJECTED TO, I SHOULD BE GRATFUL

TO KNOW THE REASONS WHY, IN CASE MINISTERS ASKED,

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5. I CAN FORESEE ONE OTHER PROBLEM, THE TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS

CUTLINED IN PARAGRAPHS 2 AND 3 OF YOUR TELNO 53 COVER SOME

PEOPLE (EG. THOSE REGISTERED HERE ) WHO DO NOT AUTOMATICALLY

POSSESS BERMUDIAN STATUS. THEY MIGHT THUS OBTAIN COLONIAL CITIZEN

-SHIP DY VIRTUE OF THEIR CONNEXION WITH BERMUDA, ALTHOUGH,

AT PRESENT, THEY HAVE NO RIGHTS OF ABODE IN THE TERRITORY.

ALTHOUGH I CANNOT YET BE SURE HOW MANY PEOPLE COULD BE IN THIS POSITI

ON, THE NUMBER SHOULD NOT BE VERY LARGE. BUT THERE COULD BE A GREAT

OUTCRY IF EVEN A FEW WERE IN EFFECT UNILATERALLY MADE BERMUDA

BELONGERS BY UK LEGISLATION: YOU WILL RECALL HOW SENTITIVE

LOCAL OPINION IS ABOUT GRANTS OF STATUS. YOU MAY, THEREFORE,

CARE TO SUGGEST THAT THE POSITION SHOULD BE DISCUSSED WITH THE

BERMUDA GOVERNMENT, THE PEOPLE CONCERNED COULD PRESUMABLY

>

IF NECESSARY BE MADE BRITISH OVERSEAS GITIZENS TE CATEGORY

(C) IN PARAGRAPH 3 OF YOUR TELNO 51 EVEN THOUGH THAT WOULD BE

AN UNSATISFACTORY

OUTCOME.

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6. YOUR TELNO 53.