TNAG-1953-FCO40-2782-Trade-of-rare-and-endangered-species-in-Hong-Kong-1989 — Page 96

DSR 11 (Revised Sept 85)

...

DRAFT: minute/letter/teleletter/despatch/note

FROM:

Mr Eggar

DEPARTMENT:

BUILDING:

SECURITY CLASSIFICATION

TO:

Top Secret

Jeremy Corbyn, MP

Secret

House of Commons

Confidential

Restricted

Unclassified

PRIVACY MARKING

LONDON

SWLA OAA

SUBJECT:

CAVEAT

TEL. NO:

ROOM NO:

In Confidence

ELEPHANT POACHING AND IVORY SMUGGLING

TYPE: Draft/Final 1 +

Reference

B71ABX/YR

Your Reference

Copies to:

The Lord President of the Council undertook that we would

let you have our views on this issue. I fully understand

and share your concern about the conservation of the

African elephant.

Enclosures flag(s)

r

The trade in ivory is already strictly controlled.

In

common with over 90 other countries, including Hong Kong

the UK is party to the Convention of International Trade

in Endangered Species (CITES) which monitors and

regulates trade in wild animals and plants. This

Convention divides species into 3 different Appendices

depending on their conservation status. The African

elephant is on Appendix II. This means that African

ivory can only be traded if certain strict criteria have

been met.

For several reasons, we have hitherto taken the view that

a ban on trade would not be the best way to protect the

/elephant