Mr Hughes, MAED
Hong Kong Ivory
I have seen your minute of 3 April with a draft letter from the Prime Minister to Sir Christopher Lever. Mr Waldegrave has commented on this that he thinks we are on very thin ice defending the 116 tons. Before I show this to the Secretary of State, I should like, if possible, to make the ice a little thicker. I have spoken to Mr Stone in Hong Kong Dept (because I was unable to raise either you or Mr Evans) and I have asked him to discover from Hong Kong:
(a) whether we really have grounds to believe that some of the stocks may have been
acquired before 1976; and
(b) whether any more can be said about the extent to which the Hong Kong authorities have inspected the stocks for evidence of illegal importation.
4 April 1990
Cc:
PS/Mr Waldegrave
Mr Stone, Hong Kong Dept
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10 This
letter will
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