checked to ensure that only ivory from CITES approved sources is granted a licence. In any cases of doubt, the consignment is
detained pending investigation or clarification with the CITES
Secretariat. In a free port such as Hong Kong, some illegal cargoes
will inevitably slip through the net but the Hong Kong Government
are taking measures to assess and suppress as far as possible the illegal elements of the trade. On 1 June, they set up a Special
Task Force to investigate the extent to which illegal ivory is entering Hong Kong and to advise on measures to stamp it out.
June the Hong Kong Government announced its support for the
introduction of a ban in the trade in new ivory and the upgrading of
the African elephant to CITES Appendix I. They are now
whether they can
take
any further measures before the
CMES meety in October.
considen's
On 9
A R Paul
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