C3 700
PRIORITY
CYPHER/CAT A
CONFIDENTIAL
LAST
26
ALF C 0 8113232
NEXT
REF.
42 (56)
CONFIDENTIAL
1974
(HK)
TO PRIORITY HONG KONG TELEGRAM NUMBER 124 OF 1 FEBRUARY INFO
PEKING.
FROM YOUDE,
YOUR TELEGRAM NUMBER 86: IMPORTATION OF WILDLIFE FROM CHINA.
1. WE APPRECIATE THE DIFFICULTIES, BUT THE SUBJECT IS ONE OF SUBSTANTIAL INTEREST HERE. WE WILL HAVE TO SUBMIT TO MINISTERS, WHO ARE LIKELY TO ASK FOR FURTHER ACTION BY YOU ON THE LINES SET
CUT DELOM, GRATEFUL, FOR YOUR EARLY COMMENTS TO BE INCLUDED IN OUR
JULTISSIT,
PUOLIC OPINION WILL CONTINUE TO PRESS ON THREE THINGS:
A) THE LIPORTATION OF THREATENED SPECIES INTO HONG KONG: 3) THE CONDITION OF ALL SPECIES WHEN IMPORTED: AND
(C) THEIR TREATMENT INSIDE HONG KONG.
3. ON (A) YOUR BAN ON THE IMPORT OF SPECIES IN APPENDIX 1 OF THE
CONVENTION IS A COMPLETE ANSWER FOR THOSE SPECIES. BUT TROUBLE IS
STILL LIKELY OVER THE FREE AND EXTENSIVE IMPORT OF APPENDIX 11 AND (EVENTUALLY) APPENDIX 111 SPECIES FOR CONSUMPTION IN HONG KONG, THE
DEFENCE 13, OF COURSE, THAT THE CONVENTION IS NOT IN FORCE AND HAS NOT BEEN RATIFIED BY THE UK OR CHIWA OR EXTENDED TO YOU. BUT ONCE
IT IS, THE CONVENTION ALLOWS IMPORT ONLY WITH DOCUMENTATION FROM THE
STATE OF EXPORT. IT WOULD NOT BE A DEFENCE AGAINST A CHARGE THAT
H N G WERE FAILING IN THEIR OBLIGATIONS TO CLAIM THAT IT WOULD BE
A CHARADE TO ASK THIS FROM THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT, WHO ARE DOING
THE EXPORTING.
4. THE CONVENTION MAY ENTER FORCE BY THE END OF 1974. ONLY THE US
HAS SO FAR RATIFIED, BUT WE ARE LIKELY TO TAKE THE LEAD IN RATIFIC- ATION AMONGST OUR PARTNERS IN THE E E C. WE WILL BE UNDER PRESSURE
TO EXTEND THE CONVENTION TO THE DEPENDENT TERRITORIES. NEITHER THE
CPR HOR TAIWAN ATTENDED THE WASHINGTON CONFERENCE BUT TAIWAN
SUBSEQUENTLY SIGNED THE CONVENTION. IT IS THUS IMPROBABLE THAT THE
CPR WILL ACCEDE TO IT, BUT AGAIN! THIS WILL NOT, UNDER ARTICLE •X,
HELTEVE PIN G OF THE OBLIGATION TO SUCH CERTIFICATES OF SOME SORT,
}
CONFIDENTIAL
/5. MEANWHILE