RESTRICTED
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 3053
OF 140832Z SEPTEMBER
89
AND TO PRIORITY HKGO LONDON
RESTRICTED
151|1
HKC 151
(236)
135235
MDLIAN D44D
MIPT: HONG KONG AND THE IVORY TRADE: STATEMENT ON BEHALF OF
HONG KONG TO THE PARTIES TO CITES
SIR,
THERE CAN BE NO DOUBT THAT FAR GREATER PROTECTION MUST BE
GIVEN TO THE AFRICAN ELEPHANT TO PREVENT ITS EXTINCTION.
WE ARE ALL AGREED ON THAT.
THE QUESTION IS, HOW? THE PROPOSAL BEFORE US SUGGESTS THAT WE CAN ACHIEVE THIS BY BANNING TRADE IN IVORY.
2.
3.
TRADE REFLECTS DEMAND
-
AND UNLESS SOMETHING CAN BE DONE
TO CURB DEMAND IN THE CONSUMING COUNTRIES THEN TRADE WILL CONTINUE. MAKING IT ILLEGAL WILL NOT HELP. TRADE WILL CONTINUE UNDERGROUND, UNCONTROLLED AND UNSTOPPABLE.
WILL THIS HELP THE ELEPHANTS? THE ANSWER MUST BE THAT IT
IS VERY DOUBTFUL IF IT WILL.
4.
IN THE VIEW OF THE SQUARE BRACKET [BRITISH] SQUARE BRACKET
SQUARE BRACKET HONG KONG MEMBERS OF THIS END SQUARE BRACKET DELEGATION WE NEED A CONCERTED, THREE PRONGED ATTACK:-
5.
END
FIRST,
COUNTRIES:
SECOND,
THE RANGE
TO DISCOURAGE DEMAND FOR IVORY IN THE CONSUMING
TO CURB POACHING AND TO MANAGE ELEPHANT POPULATIONS IN
STATES:
THIRD,
TO FIRMLY CONTROL AND MONITOR THE TRADE IN IVORY SO THAT WHILST DEMAND REMAINS HIGH IT CAN BE SATISFIED FROM EXISTING
STOCKS RATHER THAN BE ALLOWED TO FURTHER DEPLETE THE ELEPHANT
POPULATION.
6.
AS PART OF THE FIRST, THERE MUST BE A WORLD-WIDE CAMPAIGN
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