RESTRICTED

1715

MDHIAN 8117

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.

3. WE ARE FAXING TO HOLROYDE, HKD, THE TEXT OF THE DEFENSIVE LINE TAKE WE PREPARED PRIOR TO LEAKEY'S PRESS CONFERENCE.

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ΤΟ

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 CAS 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

2

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RESTRICTED

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