CONFIDENTIAL
of Appendix II and (eventually) Appendix III species for
consumption in Hong Kong. The defence is, of course,
that the convention is not in force and has not been
ratified by the UK or China or extended to you. And
even if it had been, the convention allows import with
documentation from the State of Export, and as you say,
it would be something of a charade to demand this from
the Chinese Government, who are doing the exporting.
llowever 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 ratification amongst our
partners in the ELC. We will be under pressure to
extend the convention to the dependent territories.
Neither the CFR nor Taiwan attended the Washington
Conference but Taiwan subsequently signed the Convention.
It is improbable therefore that the CPR will accede to
it.
5. Meanwhile, although a demand for certification or
clearance from the Chinese might be a charade, it would
protect you and us from the charge of being anti-
conservationist.
Unless you or Peking, to whom we are
copying this and related telegrams, see strong objection,
therefore, we would propose to instruct Peking to speak
to the Chinese Government at an appropriate level on the
lines suggested in your para 3, and would tell MP's etc
in this country that we had done so. This would not bel
in terms of the convention. Indeed there would be some
advantage in speaking to them before the convention
entered into force, since it would avoid the question of
tracks with
technically
an export.
whether Hong Kong is y
6. On (b), how the Chinese treat animals inside their
But we
own country, is, as you say, their own business. will not escape criticism if animals are imported into
/Hong Kong in
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