RESTRICTED
B
C
it clear to Hong Kong that the Reservation would be
withdrawn after six months. He said so in the House when
announcing the Reservation on 17 January, and the Prime
Minister, Secretary of State and other Ministers have repeated this commitment on many occasions since. The Diplomatic Note delivered to the Swiss Federal Department of
Foreign Affairs on 17 January entering the Reservation also made this point.
...
4. The Reservation does not simply expire after six
months; it has to be withdrawn. The Embassy in Berne will
therefore have to deliver a further Note to the Swiss. The
text has been cleared with the Department of the Environment
(the UK's CITES Management authority), HKD and NTD. I
recommend that HM Ambassador in Berne be instructed to
deliver it during the morning of 17 July. News Department do not believe it will serve any useful purpose to make an
announcement of our action but a line to take will be
prepared both for News Department and for the Prime Minister's use at PM's Question Time on 17 and 19 July. This will cover questions such as the amount of ivory
remaining in Hong Kong and the success of the retraining
scheme for workers.
5. We also said that Hong Kong will have its enacting legislation to give effect to the CITES Appendix I listing in force before 18 July. HKD are checking with Hong Kong
that this has been done.
дерл
A R Brenton
Environment, Science & Energy Dept
JE3ACQ
RESTRICTED