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073627
MDHIAN 4825
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FM HONG KONG
TO DESKBY 16123OZ FCO TELNO 1565
OF 16100OZ MAY 89
34
HK.CISI),
TOP COPY Q DIST ?
YOUR TELNO 1030: EARLY DAY MOTION: THE IVORY TRADE
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AS WE UNDERSTAND IT THE TANZANIANS PROPOSE TO UPGRADE THE ELEPHANT FROM APPENDIX II (THREATENED SPECIES, WHERE TRADE IS PERMITTED) TO APPENDIX I (ENDANGERED SPECIES, WHERE TRADE IS PROHIBITED). THE EARLY DAY NOTICE FAILS TO MAKE THIS CLEAR.
2.
Wils
THE HONG KONG POSITION HAS HITHERTO BEEN THAT A CONTROLLED
LEGITIMATE IVORY TRADE WOULD GIVE GOOD INCENTIVE FOR THE RANGE COUNTRIES TO COOPERATE AND PROTECT THEIR VALUABLE NATURAL RESOURCES WHILE A COMPLETE BAN ON TRADE IN IVORY WOULD REDUCE THE COMMERCIAL
VALUE OF THE ELEPHANT AND THE INCENTIVE TO CONSERVE THE SPECIES.
3. WE HAVE FIRMLY SUPPORTED A TOTAL BAN ON TRADE IN IVORY FROM ILLEGAL SOURCES (I.E. SOURCES NOT APPROVED BY CITES). OUR LEGISLATION IS BASED ON THIS. IF OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE TANZANIANS POSITION IS CORRECT, THE DRAFT BRIEFING IN PARA 3 OF TUR MISSES THE POINT. SINCE WE DO NOT KNOW UK'S POSITION WE
CANNOT COMMENT FURTHER ON THIS. IF YOU ARE CONTENT WITH IT, HOWEVER, WE SIMPLY SUGGEST ADDING, AFTER QUOTE WORKED IVORY UNQUOTE AT THE END OF THE BRIEF THE FOLLOWING QUOTE THIS MEANS THAT HONG KONG NOW PROHIBITS THE IMPORT OF IVORY IN ALL ITS FORMS EXCEPT
FROM A CITES APPROVED SOURCE AND SUBJECT, THEN, TO THE ISSUE OF A LICENCE BY THE HKG UNQUOTE.
4. FULL DETAILS OF HKG POSITION ON CITES WAS FAXED TO RANDALL, HKGOL BY DAF ON 12 MAY. YOU MAY FIND SOME OF THIS MATERIAL HELPFUL.
5. AS AN ADDITIONAL POINT OF INFORMATION, YOU MAY LIKE TO NOTE THAT EXCO APPROVED THE INTRODUCTION OF THE ANIMALS AND PLANTS (PROTECTION OF ENDANGERED SPECIES) (AMENDMENT) BILL THIS MORNING OUR TELNO 433 AND YOUR TELNO 410 REFERS.
WILSON
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