Mr Ivins
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RECISTRY
Don Taken
Mr Sand
Miss Min Mander,
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Julian Evans
داکار
APS/Mr Waldegrave
3
HONG KONG IVORY: SIZE OF STOCKPILE
From:
Date:
14 March 1990
Mot
CC:
Mr Holroyd, HKD
15/3
A 1. Mr Waldegrave has asked about reports that there are
discrepancies in figures we have given for the size of the ivory
stockpile in Hong Kong.
2. In the middle of last year the Hong Kong authorities asked the ivory trade to provide them with a figure for the amount of ivory held in the Territory. The figure, which was based on estimates, showed the stockpile at 670 tonnes, with a value of around £85m.
the time of the CITES conference this had fallen to around 600
tonnes as exporting continued.
By
3. One of the measures introduced by the Hong Kong authorities (on 12 January 1990) to combat illegal trade was possession licensing for quantities of ivory in excess of 5kg. The registration of the stocks has allowed Hong Kong to produce a more exact figure for the
amount of ivory in the Territory, which is 474 tonnes. Since about 55 tonnes of ivory have been exported since June last year the
original estimate of 670 tonnes was 140 tonnes out.
4. A second problem is that of the 474 tonnes only 358 tonnes has valid CITES documentation. Hong Kong's explanation for this is that the remaining 116 tonnes comprises ivory which was imported before
CITES or which has become detached from its CITES documentation.
This 116 tonnes will not, however, be exported.
5. The discrepancies in these figures have led those opposed to the exemption of Hong Kong from the ban to claim that ivory has simply disappeared from Hong Kong. We have seen no evidence to support
this.
June
Iuliar Merans MAFD