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077156
MDHIAN 08-
A
SOUTHERN AFRICA RESTATED THEIR INTENTION TO ENTER RESERVATIONS. REPORTED THREAT BY BOTSWANA TO LEAVE CITES EARLIER IN THE DAY WAS NOT MENTIONED IN THE BOTSWANA DELEGATE'S SPEECH IN THE AFTERNOON SESSION.
9. IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING PLENARY, COMMITTEE II SET UP A WORKING GROUP TO DETERMINE THE PANEL OF EXPERTS AND CRITERIA FOR DOWNGRADING POPULATIONS AS PROVIDED FOR IN THE SOMALI RESOLUTION. THIS WAS FOLLOWED BY THE DEBATE ON RESOLUTIION 5.11. HONG KONG DELEGATE RESTATED HONG KONG'S CASE, SUGGESTING THAT DEMAND FOR IVORY SHOULD BE MET FROM EXISTING STOCKS RATHER THAN FROM NEW IVORY. A VOTE ON THE
AND RESOLUTIONS PRODUCED ONLY 6 VOTES IN FAVOUR OF ALLOWING TRADE, THREE ABSTENTIONS - UK (ON BEHALF OF HONG KONG), PORTUGAL CON BEHALF OF MACAO) AND BOTSWANA. A LARGE MAJORITY WAS AGAINST AND RESOLUTION 5.11 THEREFORE REMAINED UNCHANGED. A UK RESOLUTION RECOMMENDING STATES TO WAIVE THE 90-DAY GRACE PERIOD FOR INTRODUCTION OF APPENDIX I LISTING WAS PASSED BY CONCENSUS.
10. THE WORKING GROUP PRODUCED A DRAFT RESOLUTION ON THE SELECTION OF A PANEL OF EXPERTS AND THE CRITERIA FOR DOWNGRADING WHICH WAS WIDELY DISCUSSED AND AMENDED BY COMMITTEE II BEFORE BEING ADOPTED ON 19 OCTOBER. ZIMBABWE ANNOUNCED IT HAD ENTERED A RESERVATION, AND SOUTH AFRICA INDICATED IT WAS CONSIDERING ENTERING A RESERVATION. SESSION OF CONFERENCE ADOPTED THE RESOLUTION ON 20 OCTOBER. COMMENT 11.
PLENARY
THE COMPROMISE SOMALI RESOLUTION WAS PROBABLY THE BEST THAT COULD HAVE BEEN ACHIEVED AT THE CONFERENCE, ALLOWING FOR APPENDIX I LISTING WITH A MECHANISM FOR DOWNGRADING OF POPULATIONS CAPABLE OF EXPLOITATION AT THE NEXT CONFERENCE. THE UK WOULD HAVE BEEN PREPARED TO VOTE FOR EXEMPTIONS FOR CERTAIN POPULATIONS SUCH AS BOTSWANA AND ZIMBABWE, BUT THE INCLUSION IN THE ZIMBABWE PROPOSAL OF MOZAMBIQUE AND OTHER COUNTRIES ON WHOSE ELEPHANT POPULATIONS SCIENTIFIC OPINION HAD PRONOUNCED ENDANGERED MADE THIS IMPOSSIBLE. THE INTENDED ENTRY OF RESERVATIONS BY CERTAIN AFRICAN COUNTRIES IS A BLOW TO CITES BUT IN THE ABSENCE OF RESERVATIONS BY CONSUMER COUNTRIES EG JAPAN, THE EFFECT OF THESE MAY WELL BE LIMITED. MUCH WILL DEPEND ON HOW QUICKLY THE MECHANISM FOR DOWNGRADING CAN BE SET IN MOTION TO REASSURE CERTAIN AFRICAN COUNTRIES THAT THEY WILL BE ABLE TO TRADE IN IVORY IN TWO YEARS TIME, OR EARLIER IF THERE IS A SUCCESSFUL POSTAL VOTE, ALTHOUGH ZIMBABWE MIGHT IGNORE THE PROCEDURE ALTOGETHER.
THE
12. THE VOTE ON RESOLUTION 5.11 WENT ENTIRELY AS EXPECTED. MEASURES TAKEN BY HONG KONG AND ITS ARGUMENT THAT RESIDUAL DEMAND SHOULD BE MET FROM EXISTING STOCKS RATHER THAN NEW IVORY DID NOT MOVE THE DELEGATES, MOST OF WHOM HAD ALREADY MADE UP THEIR MINDS TO OPPOSE
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