UNCLASSIFIED
HKC 151/1
017760
MDHIAN 9599
UNCLASSIFIED
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 1984
OF 16103OZ JUNE 89
AND TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE, LONDON
(100
102
YOUR TELNO 1244: OUR TELNO 1907: HONG KONG AND THE IVORY TRADE
1. GIVEN THAT A NUMBER OF EC COUNTRIES AND THE USA HAVE IMPOSED
BANS ON THE IMPORT OF ALL IVORY IT IS NOW UP TO US TO CONVINCE THOSE COUNTRIES TO COUNTINUE TO ACCEPT FROM HONG KONG EXPORTS OF
LEGALLY OBTAINED AND LEGALLY HELD IVORY.
2. WE ACCEPT THAT WE MAY BE UNABLE TO ACHIEVE THIS BEFORE THE
OCTOBER CITES MEETING SINCE SEVERAL COUNTRIES (NOTABLY THE USA) HAVE
JUSTIFIED THE QUOTE MORITORIUM UNQUOTE ON THE BASIS THAT STOCK- PILING CAN THUS BE PREVENTED. WE ACCEPT THIS VIEW AND, FOR OUR PART, HAVE DECIDED TO FREEZE THE FURTHER ISSUE OF IMPORT LICENCES
Not all, FOR ALL IVORY (EXCEPT PERSONAL EFFECTS - PARA 2 OF OUR TELNO 1949)
raw
·
3. IN THE LIGHT OF OUR SUBSTANTIAL STOCKS OF IVORY, THE HONG KONG CITES MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY (MA) IS ADDRESSING THE UK MA WITH ANOTE
SO THAT IT IS FULLY AWARE OF OUR POSITION IN ADVANCE OF THE EC CITES
MEETING ON 22 JUNE. A COPY OF HK MA'S LETTER IS BEING FAXED TO FOOTMAN HKD TOGETHER WITH AN UPDATED LINE TO TAKE FOR HKG OVERSEAS OFFICES.
4. GRATEUL IF YOU COULD ENSURE THAT DOE AT LEAST TAKES NOTE OF HK MA'S POSITION AND BEST SUPPORTS IT.
WILSON
YYYY
ΜΑΙΝ
MINIMAL
MAED
HKD
NEWS DEPT
MR BAYNE
NNNN
33
DISTRIBUTION
33
MR SLATER
MR MCLAREN
PS/LORD GLENARTHUR
PAGE
1
UNCLASSIFIED