John Robbins Esq
16 June 1988
BANC/WWF(UK) continued
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The suggestion on page 58 (third paragraph) that a regular bulletin on international developments in conservation could be prepared for the Dependent Territories, 'perhaps by the NCC', is an interesting one that we would be happy to look at in more detail once we have elucidated with Government Departments the extent of our legitimate involvement with respect to conservation in the Dependent
Dependent Territories. The newsletter might be another means of disseminating this kind of information.
ODA
The suggestion on page 58 that Dependent Territories form links with the UK Committee for IUCN is (as implied therein) dependent upon the Territories establishing a direct link themselves with IUCN, ie by becoming members of the Union. This is the case with the Agriculture and Fisheries Department of Hong Kong which is a Government Agency member of IUCN. We would certainly be happy to see Dependent Territory NGOs joining IUCN and thus becoming associated with the UK Committee but here the action clearly lies with the NGO Forum.
As I indicated in my letter to you of 28 October 1987, one of the main recommendations of the Report (No 2 on page 61) is that 'appropriate UK Government Agencies should establish a liaison group to coordinate action relating to conservation in the Dependent Territories'. From discussions with those involved in the drafting of the Report it is clear that the term 'Government Agencies'
Agencies' refers to 'Government and all its works' rather than specifically to the NDPB-type of Government Agency such as NCC. However, this is an important recommendation for NCC and we would be grateful to know the views of mainline Departments on it.
I hope that you find these comments useful. The views expressed above were formulated in the course of internal discussions towards the end of last
year but we have refrained from expressing them in the anticipation that we would be receiving some 'steer' from Government. If you and the FCO would like to discuss our views we would be happy to attend a meeting - perhaps the inaugural meeting of the liaison group referred to in recommendation 2?
For obvious reasons I am copying this letter to Thorda Abbott-Watt 'at the FCO.
Yours ever,
Michael
Dr M J Ford
Head of International Branch
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