TNAG-0468-FCO40-533-Legislation-for-protection-of-wild-life-in-Hong-Kong-1974 — Page 66

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5. MENINILE, A REQUEST FOR CONFIRMATION FROM THE CHINESE THAT EXPORT OF NONE OF THE SPECIES ON SCHEDULE 1 SENT TO HONG KONG

THREATEN THE SURVIVAL OF THAT SPECIES IN CHINA WOULD PROTECT YOU AND US FROM THE CHARGE OF BEING ANTI-CONSERVATIONIST, UNLESS YOU OR PEKING, TO WHOM WE ARE COPYING THIS AND RELATED TELEGRAMS, SEE OBJECTION, THEREFORE, WE WOULD PROPOSE TO RECOMMEND THAT PEKING BE INSTRUCTED TO SPEAK TO THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT AT AN APPROPRIATE

LEVEL, ON THE LINES SUGGESTED IN YOUR PARA 3. WE COULD THEN TELL M P'S ETC IN THIS COUNTRY THAT WE HAD DONE SO. THIS WOULD NOT BE IN TERMS OF THE CONVENTION. INDEED THERE WOULD BE SOME ADVANTAGE IN SPEAKING TO THEM BEFORE THE CONVENTION ENTERED INTO FORCE, SINCE IT WOULD AVOID THE QUESTION OF WHETHER TRADE WITH HONG KONG IS TECH-

NICALLY AS EXPORT.

6. ON (B), HOW THE CHINESE TREAT ANIMALS INSIDE THEIR OWN COUNTRY, IS, AS YOU SAY, THEIR OWN BUSINESS, BUT WE WILL NOT ESCAPE CRITICISM IF ANIMALS ARE INFORTED INTO HONG KONG IN THE CONDITION SUGGESTED

IN YOUR PARA 6. WE REALISE THE DIFFICULTIES, BUT MINISTERS WILL BE UNDER PRESSURE TO SHOW PROGRESS TOWARDS CONTROL OVER IMPORTS, WOULD

IT BE POSSIBLE FOR YOU TO INSPECT ANIMALS WHOSE IMPORT DOES REMAIN

PENTISSIDLE ON ENTRY AND TO DESTROY THOSE THAT HAD BEEN MALTREATED,

IN ADITION TO HUMANE KILLING WHEN THEY ARE DETECTED IN SHOPS, GIVEN

TAX 1ESE PREFERENCE FOR FRESH KILLED MEAT, THIS WOULD PRESUMABLY COTCHLY LEAD TO IMPORTERS REJECTING BIRDS WITH WIRED BEAKS ETC. IF YOU CAL DO THIS, WE MIGHT AGAIN EXPLAIN YOUR POLICY TO THE CHINESE

GOVERNMENT IN ADVANCE,

7. WE ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEMS OF (C) BUT THE FACT THAT THE

TRADE MIGHT BE DRIVEN UNDERGROUND WOULD NOT BE REGARDED HERE AS

SUFFICIENT REASON FOR ANY ABSENCE OF CONTROL MEASURES,

3. YOUR PARAGRAPHL 5. UK LEGISLATION DIRECTED TOWARDS CONSERVATION

OF RARE LIVE ANIMALS IS AT THE MOMENT EMBODIED IN THE ANIMALS (RESTRICTION OF IMPORTATION) ACT 1964, THE ANIMALS (MOSTLY THE LARGE CAT FALILY) ARE LISTED IN THE SCHEDULE TO THE ACT. THE CORRESPONDING

MEASURE FOR BIRDS IS THE PROTECTION OF BIRDS ACT 1954. THIS ACT PROHIBITS THE IMPORTATION (AMONGST OTHER THINGS) OF THE EUROPEAN

(COMMON) QUAIL. THE IMPORTATION OF ALL BIRDS OF PREY HAS BEEN

MINED BY SPECIAL ORDER OF THE HOME SECRETARY AS PROVIDED FOR BY THE

1954 ACT. FINALLY, THE INPORTATION OF PRODUCTS AND PARTS OF WILD ANIMALS, SUCH AS VICUNA, LEOPARD AND TIGER SKINS, AND WHALE PRODUCTS, ARE CONTROLLED BY THE D T I UNDER THE OPEN GENERAL IMPORT

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