Bermudians who opt to take out full British citizenship would be likely to keep their UK passports -- even if the Island eventually opts for Independence.

Deputy Governor Tim Gurney said: "Anyone who held British citizenship up to that date would retain British nationality.'' Mr. Gurney was speaking after UK Foreign Secretary Robin Cook offered full British passports with the right to live and work in Britain and the EU to the 150,000 or so citizens of the Overseas Territories.

Mr. Gurney, however, added that Independence would have to be the subject of negotiation.

He said: "If there was a move towards Independence then the whole business of nationality would have to covered by a transitional agreement.

"It would be a matter for negotiation as part of talks on the whole issue of Independence.'' But he said "an educated guess'' would come down in favour of those with full citizenship keeping it.

And the UK allows people to hold dual nationality, so, in theory, there would be no problem with someone holding both a UK passport and one issued by an Independent Bermuda.

The citizenship offer -- open to individuals if they want it -- is not conditional on similar rights being granted to EU passport holders to come and live in the Territories.

And the current category of British Dependent Territories Citizen -- a second-class document which offers no rights to the UK -- will not be abolished, so people can retain their current position if they choose to.

A spokesman for the Foreign Office said the question of retaining citizenship if Bermuda went Independent was "hypothetical'' and referred questions to Government House.

The UK White Paper on the Overseas Territories section on citizenship stressed that full citizenship still left the door to Independence open for any Overseas Territories which wanted it -- and did not involve reciprocity.

White Paper not a threat to self determination The White Paper said: "Nor will this offer of British citizenship imply in any way a threat to the right of the people of these Territories to determine their own Constitutional relationship with the UK.

"The new grant of British citizenship will not be a barrier, therefore, to those Overseas Territories choosing to become independent of Britain.'' PLP veteran and Legislative Affairs Minister Lois Browne Evans watched former British colonies win Independence in the 60s and 70s.

She said the Bahamas took a hardline on dual nationality, with a fixed period for people to decide whether they wanted a Bahamanian passport or to retain their original one.

But Mrs. Browne Evans added that she had always understood that even if a passport was given up, British citizenship could be reapplied for at some point in the future.

And she said that PLP papers on the subject of nationality "have acknowledged people have to have dual citizenship because they're married.'' Mrs. Browne Evans -- who stressed the PLP were not considering Independence at this stage -- added: "I think people would have to have preliminary discussions and arrive at certain things.

"I'm not a hard-liner, but you don't know how other people would feel about that.'' INDEPENDENCE IND