XN000022-1979-02-21 — Page 5

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 1979

THE GOVERNMENT'S DECISION WAS IMMEDIATELY HAILED BY THE WORLD WILDLIFE FUND INTERNATIONAL BASED IN SWITZERLAND.

ITS CONSERVATION DIRECTOR AND SPECIAL SCIENTIFIC ADVISER, DR. LEE TALBOT SAID IN A TELEX MESSAGE TO THE FUND'S PUBLIC AFFAIRS DIRECTOR, MR. DAVID MITCHELL WHO IS NOW IN TOKYO: +THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT'S NEW MOVE IS AN EXTREMELY IMPORTANT PRECEDENT, RHINOS TODAY ARE ONE OF THE MOST CRITICALLY ENDANGERED AND MOST RAPIDLY DECLINING SPECIES IN THE WORLD DUE TO THE HEAVY DEMAND FOR THEIR HORNS.+

DR. TALBOT SAID THE WORLD WILDLIFE FUND, ESTABLISHED IN 1961, HAS BEEN CONCERNED FOR THE DEMAND FOR RHINO PRODUCTS PROVIDED BY HONG KONG AND ACCORDINGLY APPLAUDED THIS ACTION.

+WE TRUST THAT OTHER MAJOR CENTRES OF TRADE IN ANIMAL PRODUCTS WILL FOLLOW HONG KONG'S EXCELLENT LEAD AND WILL SIMILARLY BAN ALL TRADE IN RHINO HORNS, HE ADDED.

EARLIER IN THE WEEK MR. MITCHELL WAS HERE FOR TALKS WITH MR. NICHOLS AND HIS CONSERVATION OFFICERS ON HONG KONG'S ENACTMENT OF THE CONVENTION ON INTERNATIONAL TRADE OF ENDANGERED SPECIES AND THE LOCAL ORDINANCE.

MR. NICHOLS SAID SINCE THE ORDINANCE CAME INTO EFFECT IN 1976, 15 LICENCES FOR IMPORTING RHINO HORNS AND ONE FOR RHINO HIDE HAVE BEEN ISSUED.

IN ALL CASES, HE CONTINUED, THE CONSIGNMENTS WERE SUPPORTED BY APPROPRIATE EXPORT PERMITS FROM THE COUNTRIES OF ORIGIN WHICH ARE PARTIES OR SIGNATORIES TO THE CONVENTION.

HE SAID THE BAN IS BEING INTRODUCED AFTER CONSULTATION WITH THE HONG KONG AND KOWLOON IVORY MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION LTD WHOSE MEMBERS HAVE BEEN THE MAJOR IMPORTERS OF RHINO HORNS.

+SUCH SUPPORT FROM THE TRADE IS MOST ENCOURAGING AND IT IS ONLY THROUGH TRADE CO-OPERATION THAT EFFECTIVE CONTROLS CAN BE ACHIEVED.✦

MR. NICHOLS EMPHASISED THAT SUCH TOTAL BANS WILL APPLY ONLY TO SPECIES WHICH ARE PARTICULARLY RARE. A WIDE RANGE OF OTHER WILDLIFE PRODUCTS CAN STILL BE TRADED WITHOUT HINDERANCE PROVIDED IT WAS DONE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONVENTION.

FOLLOWING ALLEGATIONS IN RECENT PRESS REPORTS FROM TANZANIA THAT HONG KONG IS A MAJOR IMPORTER OF POACHED RHINO HORNS, A SPOKESMAN FOR THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT SAID THE GOVERNMENT HAD RECEIVED NO INFORMATION FROM THE AUTHORITIES IN TANZANIA OR ELSEWHERE OF ANY SUCH CONSIGNMENTS.

+ IF THE GOVERNMENT RECEIVES SUCH INFORMATION, THE MATTER WILL BE MOST CAREFULLY INVESTIGATED, HE SAID.

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