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FM HONG KONG
TO DESKBY 09090OZ FCO
TELNO 83
OF 09073OZ JANUARY 89
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-HKCISI
R
-9 JAN 1989
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YOUR TELNO 45, PQ'S ON ENDANGERED SPECIES.
YOU MAY CARE TO DRAW ON THE FOLLOWING
TOP COPY Q DIST ?
2
143413
MDHIAN 7748
RESPONSE TO THE PQ'S:-
(A) NO CHANGES HAVE YET BEEN INTRODUCED FOLLOWING THE REVIEW. THE
NECESSARY LEGISLATION IS NOW BEING DRAFTED. DRAFTING INSTRUCTIONS
WILL BE FAXED TO FOOTMAN, HKD. FOR YOUR INFORMATION, THE FIRST DRAFT OF THE BILL IS AVAILABLE, THOUGH SOME WORK WILL BE NEEDED BEFORE
IT CAN BE INTRODUCED.
THE MAJOR CHANGES IN THE DRAFT BILL ARE PROPOSALS :
(I) TO INCREASE MAXIMUM FINES BY 5 FOLD:
(II) TO TIGHTEN UP TRANSIT REQUIREMENTS:
(III) TO BAN THE IMPORT, EXPORT AND POSSESSION OF MEDICINAL PRODUCTS PURPORTING TO CONTAIN RHINOCEROS INGREDIENTS:
(IV) TO MAKE IT AN OFFENCE FOR PERSONS GIVING FALSE INFORMATION WHEN APPLYING FOR ENDANGERED SPECIES LICENCES:
(V) TO OVERCOME IDENTIFICATION DIFFICULTIES (BY ACCEPTING LABLES
AND ACCOMPANYING DOCUMENTS AS EVIDENCE FOR PROSECUTION):
(VI) TO EXTEND THE POWER OF SEARCH TO COVER ANY OFFENCE COMMITTED
UNDER THE ORDINANCE: AND
(VII) TO EMPOWER THE GOVERNMENT TO RELEASE LIVE ENDANGERED SPECIES
OR DISPOSE OF PERISHABLE SPECIMENS BEFORE THE CASES COME TO COURT.
(B) THE ANIMALS AND PLANTS (PROTECTION OF ENDANGERED SPECIES) ORDINANCE (REPLACEMENT OF SCHEDULES) ORDER 1988 CAME INTO EFFECT ON 5 AUGUST 1988. IT EXTENDED THE IMPORT CONTROL OF IVORY TO ALL WORKED ITEMS. UP TO 7 JANUARY 1989, 39 SHIPMENTS TOTALLING 510 KG. OF WORKED IVORY ITEMS HAVE BEEN SEIZED. DURING THE SAME PERIOD, 133 SHIPMENTS TOTALLING 4,752 KG. OF WORKED IVORY FROM CITES APPROVED SOURCES HAVE
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