TNAG-1954-FCO40-2783-Trade-of-rare-and-endangered-species-in-Hong-Kong-1989 — Page 31

UNCLASSIFIED

HKC 151/1

017760

MDHIAN 9599

UNCLASSIFIED

FM HONG KONG

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 1984

OF 16103OZ JUNE 89

AND TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE, LONDON

(100

102

YOUR TELNO 1244: OUR TELNO 1907: HONG KONG AND THE IVORY TRADE

1. GIVEN THAT A NUMBER OF EC COUNTRIES AND THE USA HAVE IMPOSED

BANS ON THE IMPORT OF ALL IVORY IT IS NOW UP TO US TO CONVINCE THOSE COUNTRIES TO COUNTINUE TO ACCEPT FROM HONG KONG EXPORTS OF

LEGALLY OBTAINED AND LEGALLY HELD IVORY.

2. WE ACCEPT THAT WE MAY BE UNABLE TO ACHIEVE THIS BEFORE THE

OCTOBER CITES MEETING SINCE SEVERAL COUNTRIES (NOTABLY THE USA) HAVE

JUSTIFIED THE QUOTE MORITORIUM UNQUOTE ON THE BASIS THAT STOCK- PILING CAN THUS BE PREVENTED. WE ACCEPT THIS VIEW AND, FOR OUR PART, HAVE DECIDED TO FREEZE THE FURTHER ISSUE OF IMPORT LICENCES

Not all, FOR ALL IVORY (EXCEPT PERSONAL EFFECTS - PARA 2 OF OUR TELNO 1949)

raw

·

3. IN THE LIGHT OF OUR SUBSTANTIAL STOCKS OF IVORY, THE HONG KONG CITES MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY (MA) IS ADDRESSING THE UK MA WITH ANOTE

SO THAT IT IS FULLY AWARE OF OUR POSITION IN ADVANCE OF THE EC CITES

MEETING ON 22 JUNE. A COPY OF HK MA'S LETTER IS BEING FAXED TO FOOTMAN HKD TOGETHER WITH AN UPDATED LINE TO TAKE FOR HKG OVERSEAS OFFICES.

4. GRATEUL IF YOU COULD ENSURE THAT DOE AT LEAST TAKES NOTE OF HK MA'S POSITION AND BEST SUPPORTS IT.

WILSON

YYYY

ΜΑΙΝ

MINIMAL

MAED

HKD

NEWS DEPT

MR BAYNE

NNNN

33

DISTRIBUTION

33

MR SLATER

MR MCLAREN

PS/LORD GLENARTHUR

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UNCLASSIFIED