TNAG-0903-FCO40-1113-Implications-for-Hong-Kong-of-changes-in-British-nationality-1979 — Page 19

CONFIDENTIAL

aim to abolish entirely.

Moreover (b) and (c) would

perhaps give the impression that each of our colonies

has a separate citizenship, and this might lead to

difficulties with countries such as Argentina and

Spain.

There would also be the anomaly that the words

'United Kingdom' would appear in a colonial passport

but not in that of someone born in the United Kingdom.

(d) British Citizen (Hong Kong)

(e) British (Hong Kong) Citizen

These titles would identify too closely with that which

we have wished to reserve for people connected with the

United Kingdom. There might also be drafting difficult-

ies if it were found necessary to specify each colony's

citizenship individually. They might cause confusion

among immigration officials in third countries. More-

over they would be open to the objection mentioned above

as applying to (b) and (c).

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(f) British Colonial Citizen or Citizen of the British

Colonies

Either of these variations would be acceptable to the

United Kingdom.

'Citizen of the British Colonies' is

abbreviated

perhaps marginally better, since when/it would be less

likely to be confused with the other two citizenships.

Either would appear to have the advantage, from the

point of view of Hong Kong, of containing the words

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