CRPS 989
PRIORITY
CYPHER/CAT A
FM HONG KONG 229815Z
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
RECEIVED INE
REGISTRY No. 52
22 JAN 1974
іжк 1))
TO PRIORITY FCO TELNO 86 OF 22ND JANUARY, 1974.
YOUR TELEGRAM NUMBER 31.
LAST
FOR STUART.
REF
16
NEXT
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IMPORTATION OF WILD LIFE FROM CHINA,
@心
43aci
(26
THIS IS, AS YOU MUST BE AWARE, AN EXTRAORDINARILY DIFFICULT SUBJECT TO TACKLE. THERE ARE TWO SEPARATE ASPECTS TO IT, NAMELY CONSERVATION AND THE LOCAL PROBLEMS OF CONTROLLING TRADERS AND PREVENTING CRUELTY. BUT ON BOTH OF THEM IT HAS TO BE CLEARLY
UNDERSTOOD THAT THERE IS A NATURAL LOCAL RELUCTANCE TO ACCEPT
WESTERN AND EXPATRIATE CUSTOMS.
2. THE PROBLEMS WHICH ARISE CAN BE BROKEN DOWN INTO
(A) THE NEED FOR PROTECTION OF THREATENED CHINESE FAUNA, WHICH
MUST BE DECIDED BY THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES THEMMSELVES,
DE FACTO OR OTHERWISE.
THE NEED FOR THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES TO REDUCE OR PREVENT
INJURIES TO FAUNA BEFORE THEY ARRIVE IN HONG KONG
(C) THE EXTENT TO WHICH OUR OWN LEGISLATION PROVIDES FOR ACTION
AGAINST CRUELTY AND IMPOSES SUFFICIENT CONTROL ON THE HANDLING
OF FAUNA WITHIN HONG KONG • AND
(D) THE EXTENT TO WHICH, IN PRACTICE, WE CAN CONTROL THE TRADE,
PREVENT CRUELTY AND DETECT AND PROSECUTE FOR CRUELTY
OFFENCES.
CONFIDENTI AL
73.CN