RESTRICTED
171526
MDHIAN 8117
3.
COMMERCIAL SHIPMENTS BEING IN OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER 1989. SINCE OUR LEGAL STOCKS ARE LARGE, OUR POTENTIAL MARKETS SMALL AND OUR CUSTOMS SERVICE VIGILANT,
THERE
IS NO INCENTIVE IN SMUGGLING NEW IVORY INTO HONG KONG ONLY FOR IT TO BE SMUGGLED OUT AGAIN.
WE ARE FAXING TO HOLROYDE, HKD, THE TEXT OF THE DEFENSIVE LINE ΤΟ TAKE WE PREPARED PRIOR TO LEAKEY'S PRESS CONFERENCE.
-
4.
THERE MAY BE SOME TRUTH IN THE LEAKEY'S SUGGESTION ON RADIO 4 THAT HONG KONG'S RULES ARE ALRIGHT, BUT THAT THE MESSAGE IS NOT GETTING THROUGH TO THE MIDDLE MEN. IN THIS CONNECTION WE CAN DO NO MORE THAN REITERATE OUR POSITION (AS WE WAS DONE IN PARLIAMENT ONLY LAST WEEK) THOUGH IT IS DIFFICULT TO IMAGINE THAT THOSE INVOLVED ARE AS STUPID AS LEAKEY SEEMS TO SUGGEST.
WILSON
YYYY
MAIN
40
LIMITED
HKD
MAED
EAD
PS
DISTRIBUTION
40
PS/PUS
MR SLATER
MR BAYNE
MR GILMORE
MR CARRICK
PS/MRS CHALKER PS/MR WALDEGRAVE
PS/MR MAUDE
MR MCLAREN
NNNN
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