§ 6. Brigadier-General NATIONasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what would be the position in time of war of persons possessing two or more nationalities, as the relative convention has, apparently, not been ratified?
§ Mr. EDENThe general principle of international law, which is applicable in time of war as in time of peace, is that where a person who has two or more nationalities is present in one of the 1357 countries of which he is a national that country may treat him as its national and his other country or countries cannot extend to him their diplomatic protection. When such a person is elsewhere than in any of the countries of which he is a national, he may be claimed as a national by all the countries whose nationality he posesses, and in case of conflict the matter may be decided, according to the circumstances of the case, by the choice of the individual concerned, or by the authorities of the country where he is.