Britain's Boris Johnson gives up U.S. citizenshipFebruary 9, 2017 - 11:46 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - British Foreign Minister Boris Johnson, who was born in New York, has renounced his U.S. citizenship, according to a United States Treasury Department document released Wednesday, February 8, AFP reports. Alexander Boris Johnson figured in the Treasury list of people who had given up their U.S. citizenship in the last quarter of 2016. The former mayor of London has held both British and U.S. passports. Johnson had said in 2015 he intended to give up his dual nationality for patriotic reasons. He said his U.S. passport was "an accident of birth" and that he had to "find a way of sorting it out" with the then U.S. ambassador Matthew Barzun. "The reason I'm thinking I probably will want to make a change is that my commitment is, and always has been, to Britain," he told the Sunday Times newspaper. "They (the Americans) don't make it easy for you," Johnson added, hinting it could be a long and arduous process. Britain's foreign ministry said he renounced his U.S. citizenship early in 2016, which then took some time to go through the system. Johnson had previously settled a capital gains tax bill sent by the U.S. after he sold his house in north London, calling the demand "absolutely outrageous". All U.S. citizens have to pay tax to Washington, even if they live outside the country. Photo: AP/Tim Ireland Related links: Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Ucom Celebrates Telecommunication Day May 17 commemorates the founding of the International Telecommunication Union on May 17, 1865. Armenian, Azerbaijani heads of parliament meet in Switzerland President of the Armenian parliament Alen Simonyan met with the Speaker of the Azerbaijani Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova. Border residents overnight on highway to protest Armenia’s Residents of Kirants continue to express outrage over the government’s decision to cede land to Azerbaijan. Get Started: An educational platform for young startuppers The Get Started program which operates in two phases is an important platform for young startuppers. |