Stocks of ivory already in Hong Kong are registered, and since
12 January possession licences have been required for all commercial ivory and personal effects in excess of 5kg. Movement of ivory between dealers is recorded and their records of the stock holdings
are adjusted accordingly. No ivory can leave Hong Kong without an
export licence and non licences are issued for exports to countries
which have implemented the CITES ban.
These thorough and comprehensive measures are clear and
reassuring evidence of the Hong Kong Government's firm intention to
adhere fully to CITES.
Allowing Hong Kong to continue to trade its legally-acquired
ivory for a limited period should not create a threat to living
elephants because imports are already banned. It would make no
sense to try to import ivory illegally into Hong Kong where there is
already a large stock of legal ivory, a small domestic market, and a
number of export outlets.
While we cannot rule out the possibility that unscrupulous traders might try to move ivory illegally into or out of Hong Kong,
we are confident that the Hong Kong authorities have in place effective machinery to intercept illegal consignments of ivory. Furthermore, as Sir Geoffrey Howe made clear in the House of Commons
on 22 February, if there is any evidence of complicity by Hong Kong
traders in illegal trading in ivory, we will investigate it
thoroughly. As yet no such evidence has been produced.
Both the British Government and Hong Kong remain fully committed to the conservation of endangered species and to CITES
itself. We would not have entered the Reservation if we believed
that by doing so we were putting at risk the future of the African
elephant.