TNAG-0468-FCO40-533-Legislation-for-protection-of-wild-life-in-Hong-Kong-1974 — Page 103

CRPS 989

PRIORITY

CYPHER/CAT A

FM HONG KONG 229815Z

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

RECEIVED INE

REGISTRY No. 52

22 JAN 1974

іжк 1))

TO PRIORITY FCO TELNO 86 OF 22ND JANUARY, 1974.

YOUR TELEGRAM NUMBER 31.

LAST

FOR STUART.

REF

16

NEXT

२०१

IMPORTATION OF WILD LIFE FROM CHINA,

@心

43aci

(26

THIS IS, AS YOU MUST BE AWARE, AN EXTRAORDINARILY DIFFICULT SUBJECT TO TACKLE. THERE ARE TWO SEPARATE ASPECTS TO IT, NAMELY CONSERVATION AND THE LOCAL PROBLEMS OF CONTROLLING TRADERS AND PREVENTING CRUELTY. BUT ON BOTH OF THEM IT HAS TO BE CLEARLY

UNDERSTOOD THAT THERE IS A NATURAL LOCAL RELUCTANCE TO ACCEPT

WESTERN AND EXPATRIATE CUSTOMS.

2. THE PROBLEMS WHICH ARISE CAN BE BROKEN DOWN INTO

(A) THE NEED FOR PROTECTION OF THREATENED CHINESE FAUNA, WHICH

MUST BE DECIDED BY THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES THEMMSELVES,

DE FACTO OR OTHERWISE.

THE NEED FOR THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES TO REDUCE OR PREVENT

INJURIES TO FAUNA BEFORE THEY ARRIVE IN HONG KONG

(C) THE EXTENT TO WHICH OUR OWN LEGISLATION PROVIDES FOR ACTION

AGAINST CRUELTY AND IMPOSES SUFFICIENT CONTROL ON THE HANDLING

OF FAUNA WITHIN HONG KONG • AND

(D) THE EXTENT TO WHICH, IN PRACTICE, WE CAN CONTROL THE TRADE,

PREVENT CRUELTY AND DETECT AND PROSECUTE FOR CRUELTY

OFFENCES.

CONFIDENTI AL

73.CN