RESTRICTED
HKCISI/I
Elurra (157
071374
MDLIAN 3717
RESTRICTED
FM HARARE
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 389
OF 04100OZ JULY 89
INFO ROUTINE NAIROBI, DAKAR, YAOUNDE, ILONGWE, KAMPALA, LUSAKA
INFO ROUTINE DAR ES SALAAM, KINSHASAKHARTOUM, PRETORIA, HONG KONG INFO ROUTINE UKREP BRUSSELS
6148
SHASAY
YOUR TELNO 270 TO HARARE, AND YOUR TELNO 277
NAIROBI: IVORY TRADE
1.
AS YOU SUGGEST (FIRST TUR) INTERNAL TRADE IN ZIMBABWE IN IVORY IS NEGLIGIBLE. MUCH OF IVORY SOLD INTERNALLY IS IN ANY CASE SOLD TO FOREIGN TOURISTS. EXTERNAL TRADE IS CONSIDERABLE, AND IN 1987 (LAST YEAR FOR WHICH FIGURES ARE AVAILABLE) ZIMBABWE EXPORTED 12,503 TONNES, AND IN 1986 14,700 TONNES. FOREIGN EXCHANGE LOSSES OF BAN COULD THEREFORE BE CONSIDERABLE. THERE ARE ALSO EMPLOYMENT
IMPLICATIONS.
2.
THE MAIN ARGUMENT USED HERE AGAINST BAN IN IVORY TRADE IS HOWEVER NOT FINANCIAL BUT CONSERVATIONIST. IT IS THAT BAN ON TRADE DEVALUES THE ELEPHANT FOR ORDINARY PEOPLE, WHO MUST TOLERATE THE CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE DONE EACH YEAR BY ELEPHANTS TO CROPS, WOODLANDS ETC. IN THIS WAY, PRESSURE TO KILL ELEPHANTS WILL INCREASE, IN CONTRAST TO THE PRESENT SITUATION WHERE CONTROLLED CULLING WITH CONSEQUENT LOCAL COMMERCIAL BENEFITS FOR ORDINARY PEOPLE GIVES CONSERVATION OF ELEPHANT A HIGH PRIORITY.
MELHUISH
YYYY
DISTRIBUTION
115
NENAD
PS/PUS
PS/MRS CHALKER
PS/LORD GLENARTHUR
PS/MR EGGAR
PS/SIR J FRETWELL
MR TOMKYS
ΜΑΙΝ
112
LIMITED
MAED
CAFD
OADS
SAD
HKD
ECD (E)
PAGE
1
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