9
ON
FRIDAY, JUNE 9, 1989
"THE PROPOSED BAN ON NEW 1VORY WOULD
SPECIES FROM UPGRADING THE
CITES APPENDIX PROHIBIT THE TRADE IN NEW IVORY. HE SAID.
THEN II ΤΟ
BE
EFFECTED
BY
APPENDIX I TO
MR IU POINTED OUT THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAD ALWAYS COMPLIED FULLY WITH ITS OBLIGATIONS UNDER CITES WITH REGARD ΤΟ ENDANGERED SPECIES. THIS INCLUDED STRICT CONTROL ON IVORY.
THAT HONG
ΤΟ
THE
HE SAID
KONG HAD BEEN FULLY COMMITTED CONSERVATION OF ENDANGERED SPECIES AND IN VIEW OF THE CONTINUED HAD TAKEN DECLINE IN THE AFRICAN ELEPHANT POPULATION. THE GOVERNMENT
BAN A DECISION TO SUPPORT THE PROPOSED
FOLLOWING THE LOCAL IVORY TRADERS ASSOCIATION AND WORKERS UNION.
CONSULTATION
THE GOVERNMENT, HOWEVER, SHARED THE GRAVE CONCERN OF THE TRADERS ABOUT THE LARGE STOCKS OF LEGALLY-ACQUIRED IVORY CURRENTLY HELD.
WITH
IVORY THEY
"THEY HAVE EXPRESSED THEIR VIEWS THAT THE OLD STOCKS ACQUIRED BE TRADED BEFORE THE PROPOSED BAN TAKES EFFECT, SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO AND EXPORTED.
NUMBER "FURTHERMORE, THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT EMPLOYED IN THE
MOST TRADE.
OF WHOM WOULD HAVE FINDING ALTERNATIVE EMPLOYMENT BECAUSE OF THEIR AGE AND RESTRICTED SKILL. MR IU ADDED.
+
AS A PARTY ΤΟ
OF PEOPLE
DIFFICULTIES
BEING IN
HAS CITES,
BEEN
GOVERNMENT, THE HONG KONG ADOPTING A STRICT CONTROL SYSTEM OVER IVORY SINCE 1978.
YEAR
ACCOMPANIED
ISSUED
BY
BY BY THE
THE CONTROL WAS STRENGTHENED IN AUGUST LAST PROHIBITING THE IMPORT OF WORKED IVORY UNLESS
DOCUMENTS CITES-APPROVED
AND A VALID LICENCE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT.
"THE GOVERNMENT HAS RECENTLY TAKEN ITS STRICT CONTROL ONE FURTHER BY INTRODUCING THOROUGH REGISTRATION AND MARKING OF RAW AND LARGE CUT PIECES ACQUIRED BEFORE 1986, MR IU SAID.
נו
ALL IVORY STOCKS ACQUIRED AFTER JANUARY 1986 HAD REGISTERED AND MARKED.
STEP
IVORY
ALREADY BEEN
"IN ADDITION, A SPECIAL TASK FORCE WAS FORMED EARLY THIS
WITH BY THE CUSTOMS AND EXCISE DEPARTMENT IN CLOSE CO-ORDINATION AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT, TO INVESTIGATE AND SUPPRESS ILLEGAL IVORY IMPORT OR EXPORT THROUGH HONG KONG, HE ADDED.
MONTH
THE
ANY
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