XN000022-1989-09-29 — Page 6

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FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 1989

AS A PARTY

ΤΟ THE

IN TRADE CONVENTION ON INTERNATIONAL

THROUGH THE UK'S ENDANGERED SPECIES OF WILD FAUNA AND FLORA (CITES)

IS FULLY COMMITTED TO MEMBERSHIP, HONG KONG

THE CONSERVATION OF TAKING ENDANGERED SPECIES INCLUDING THE AFRICAN ELEPHANT AND HAS BEEN ITS PLIGATION UNDER THE CONVENTION SERIOUSLY.

FURTHER

DECLINING,

THE

EFFECTIVE CONTROL ON CO-OPERATION IN EFFORTS ΤΟ

"TO PREVENT THE AFRICAN ELEPHANT FROM HONG KONG GOVERNMENT SUPPORTS TIGHTER AND MORE TRADE IN IVORY AND BETTER INTERNATIONAL SAVE THIS SPECIES." DR LEE SAID.

EXISTING

"THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT SUPPORTS THE BAN ON TRADE IN NEW IVORY AND BELIEVES THAT THE TRADING OF

STOCKS OF LEGALLY-ACQUIRED AND LEGALLY-HELD IVORY SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO CONTINUE.

PEOPLE

"TO PREVENT SUCH TRADE WOULD BE GROSSLY UNFAIR TO THOSE

IVORY IN STRICT WHO HAVE ACQUIRED THE

COMPLIANCE WITH THE CITES PROSPECTS REQUIREMENTS AND WOULD BE MOST UNLIKELY TO LEAD TO ENHANCED FOR THE SURVIVAL OF THE SPECIES.

"IT WOULD ALSO UNDERMINE THE CREDIBILITY OF THE

INTERNATIONAL

CONVENTION.

OF IVORY BEING INCLUDING COUNTRIES

THEIR RESPECTIVE

FURTHERMORE, DR LEE SAID, THE EXISTING STOCKS HELD

IN

THE TERRITORY HAD BEEN IMPORTED FROM THE EC MEMBER STATES AND JAPAN WITH THE APPROVAL OF GOVERNMENTS IN ACCORDANCE WITH CITES PROCEDURES.

EUROPEAN

THE BAN, HE NOTED THAT SINCE 1987 UNTIL THE PRESENT COUNTRIES EXPORTED A TOTAL OF 116 TONNES OF RAW IVORY TO HONG KONG.

"THE BANNING OF RE-IMPORTS OF SUCH STOCKS BOTH ILLOGICAL AND DISCRIMINATORY." DR LEE SAID.

FROM

HONG KONG IS

AT PRESENT, THERE WAS A STRONG TIDE OF EMOTIONALISM AMONG OVERSEAS CONSERVATION GROUPS, ADVOCATING A TOTAL BAN IN IVORY TRADE,

APPEAR TO IT RISKS DRIVING OUTSIDE THE CONTROL

"A TOTAL AND INDISCRIMINATE BAN MAY AT FIRST GLANCE BE AN ATTRACTIVE SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM. HOWEVER, THE TRADE UNDERGROUND, CREATING ILLEGAL MARKETS OF CITES, AND HENCE INCREASING THE STAKES FOR POACHING," HE SAID.

DR LEE POINTED OUT THE OTHER BALANCED CONSIDERATION.

IMPORTANT FACTOR WHICH

MERITED

"HONG KONG HAS SOME 3,000 WORKERS THE TRADE FOR THEIR LIVELIHOOD.

AND

TRADERS,

DEPENDING

ON

WHO ARE MOSTLY

"IT IS OBVIOUSLY UNFAIR TO EXPECT THE WORKERS, AGED CRAFTSMEN, EARNING A LIVING WITH THEIR LIFE-LONG DEVELOPED SKILL, AND THE TRADERS TO LOSE ALL TO ABRUPTLY GIVE UP THEIR LIVELIHOOD

++ HE SAID. THEIR INVESTMENT IN THE FORM OF IVORY STOCKS,

IVORY AND MIGHT

THE DIRECTOR GAVE DETAILS OF HONG

STRINGENT KONG'S CONTROL WHICH, HE SAID, WENT BEYOND THE CITES REQUIREMENTS WELL BE THE STRICTEST AMONG CITES PARTIES.

"WE HAVE