CONFIDENTIAL FROM WASHINGTON
Ente HA(48
045326
MOLIAN 2672
CONFIDENTIAL
FROM WASHINGTON
TO PRIORITY FCO
OF 23195OZ JANUARY 90
TELNO 171
HKUSI
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
29 JAN 1990
SK OFFICER
INDE
ARGY Atton Takers
261
AND TO PRIORITY TO OTTAWA, NAIROBI HONG KONG, NEW YORK, EC POSTS
YOUR TELNO GUIDANCE 002 AFRICAN ELEPHANT IVORY SUMMARY
1.
WHEN SECRETARY OF STATE MEETS SECRETARY BAKER NEXT WEEK
BAKER IS LIKELY TO RAISE WITH HIM US CONCERN AT THE UK TAKING
A SIX MONTH RESERVATION ON BEHALF OF HONG KONG AT THE 7TH
CONFERENCE OF CONTRACTING PARTIES TO THE CONVENTION ON
INTERNATIONAL TRADE AND ENDANGERED SPECIES OF WILD FAUNA AND FLORA (CITES).
BACKGROUND
2.
STATE (SAVAGE, DIRECTOR OFFICE OF ECOLOGY, HEALTH AND NATURAL RESOURCES, BUREAU OF OCEANS AND INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENT AND SCIENTIFIC AFFAIRS) HAS EXPRESSED US CONCERN THAT THE UK ENTERED A SIX MONTH RESERVATION TO ENABLE HONG KONG
TO CONTINUE TO EXPORT FROM EXISTING STOCKS OF IVORY TO
COUNTRIES NOT PARTY TO THE CITES BAN.
SAVAGE SAID THAT SECRETARY BAKER WILL PROBABLY RAISE
THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS WITH THE SECRETARY OF STATE WHEN HE
MEETS HIM NEXT WEEK:
4.
A. TO WHAT COUNTRIES WILL THIS IVORY BE EXPORTED, IN
PARTICULAR WILL IT GO TO CHINA AND KOREA?
B. WILL THE IVORY BE EXPORTED CARVED OR IN ITS ORIGINAL
STATE?
C. WAS ALL THE IVORY LEGALLY OBTAINED?
D. WILL THE SIX MONTHS RESERVATION MERELY ENABLE HONG KONG TO REPLENISH ITS STOCKPILE WITH, PRESUMABLY, POACHED IVORY?
ADDITIONAL POINTS.
A. STATE IS NOT CONVINCED BY THE LINE TAKEN IN THE GUIDANCE
TELEGRAM.
B. STATE ALSO CONCERNED AT NEWSPAPER REPORTS OF ATTEMPTS BY
HONG KONG TO EXPORT IVORY TO JAPAN AND FRG DESPITE THESE COUNTRIES BEING PARTIES TO THE CITES CONVENTION. SUCH ATTEMPTS WERE, WE UNDERSTAND, UNSUCCESSFUL.
ACLAND