TNAG-1953-FCO40-2782-Trade-of-rare-and-endangered-species-in-Hong-Kong-1989 — Page 166

UNCLASSIFIED

FM HONG KONG

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 433

OF 09101OZ FEBRUARY 89

UNCLASSIFIED

HKC isi

sili

074003

MDHIAN 1723

TOP COPY Q DIST 7

FOR MORRIS, HKD

HKD 14

фи

YOUR TELNO 353: HONG KONG AND RHINO HORN

-

1. IN OUR VARIOUS 1988 TELEGRAMS ON THIS SUBJECT FOR EXAMPLE 0347 (26 JANUARY), 1756 (10 MAY), 2581 (6 JULY) AND 2801 (22 JULY), WE

SAID THAT

(A) INTERNAL SALE OF RHINO HORN WOULD BE BANNED FROM JULY 1988 (IN

FACT THE BAN CAME INTO EFFECT ON 1 AUGUST 1988):

(B)

INTERNAL SALE OF MEDICINAL PRODUCTS CLAIMING TO CONTAIN RHINO INDEGREDIENTS WOULD BE BANNED IN THE CONTEXT OF A REVIEW OF THE ORDINANCE:

(C)

NEW PRIMARY LEGISLATION WOULD BE NEEDED TO BAN SUCH MEDICINAL

PRODUCTS:

AND

(D) WE HOPED TO INTRODUCE THE NECESSARY LEGISLATION IN THE 1988/89

LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

2. IT SEEMS CLEAR THAT AT SOME POINT CONFUSION HAS ARISIN BETWEEN THE BANNING OF INTERNAL SALE OF RHINO HORN ITSELF (WHICH COULD BE ACHIEVED ADMINISTRATIVELY) AND THE BANNING OF THE SALE OF RHINO

INGREDIENTS IN MEDICINES (WHICH NEEDS AMENDING LEGISLATION).

WE SHOULD COME CLEAN AND SAY SO.

3.

PERHAPS

THE FACTUAL POSITION AT THE MOMENT IS THAT WE HAVE A DRAFT BILL

AMONGST WHOSE PROVISIONS ARE PROPOSALS TO BAN THE SALE OF MEDICINAL PRODUCTS CLAIMING TO CONTAIN RHINO INGREDIENTS AND THAT WE HOPE TO INTRODUCE THIS BILL DURING THE PRESENT SESSION.

WILSON

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