From The Minister of State
HKC 151/1
нис
RECEIVED!
30 MAR 1990 nd Comm
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
INDE
ondon SW1A 2AH
14 February 1990
A Pane Minister,
Thank you for referring to the Secretary of State on
6 February a letter from your constituents Suzanne and Denise Sinclair of 123 Nether Street, Finchley, London N12 8AB about the ivory stocks in Hong Kong. I am replying in his absence.
Hong Kong is committed to comply in full with the ban on all international commercial trade in ivory introduced by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) on 18 January. Hong Kong has traditionally been a major ivory trading centre and has large stocks of legally-acquired ivory. The Reservation, which we entered on 17 January, is designed to give Hong Kong a reasonable period in which to adjust to the ban by allowing traders to dispose of these stocks in an orderly fashion and enabling the 3,000 carvers and workers to find alternative employment. Hong Kong has already imposed a ban on all imports of ivory, which will ensure that there is no loophole for the entry of illegal ivory onto the market. Enforcement is strict and there should be no opportunity for the poachers.
We consider the entering of the Reservation the best way of meeting our responsibilities to a Dependent Territory without compromising our support for measures to preserve the African elephant. We have made it clear that the Reservation will be withdrawn after six months and that it will not apply to the United Kingdom or to any other British Dependent Territory. At the end of the six months any exports of ivory from Hong Kong will be in accordance with CITES controls.
The Hong Kong Government have taken various measures to deter illegal trading and to enhance controls over existing stocks. A special Customs task force has been created to investigate and suppress any illegal trade through Hong Kong and maximum fines for violating legislation on endangered species have been increased 5-fold, accompanied by confiscation of illegal consignments.
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. ivory can leave Hong Kong without an export licence and no
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