FCS/90/011
HKCISLIT
iPS
CEIVED IN REGISTRY 17 JAN 1990
NEFICER
REGISTRY CONFIDENT (AL
Ante Taken
m
te
I'm Waldegrave Ps luis Chalker.
Mi dillimore. Mr Bayne.
mi menoven
м
SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT tus Barrett, h. Ads
News.
Mas Mr Liduation
DKI
Hong Kong and the Ivory Trade
1. Thank you for your letter of 12 January, which has reached me here in Hong Kong.
2. I have discussed the issue with those responsible here for implementing the ivory ban. They are planning comprehensive legislation and are confident that the Hong Kong legislature will have a majority to adopt it.
3. They are equally clear that, without a six month moratorium, the legislature will simply refuse to implement the necessary legislation. I therefore see no
alternative to our entering a reservation. At the same time, the Government of Hong Kong would make a firm public statement saying that imports of ivory would be banned immediately, setting out a very strict regime which will apply when the ban is implemented and making clear that, in the meantime, ivory will be exported only to those countries (mostly in Asia) which are not parties
to the ban.
CONFIDENTIAL
/4.