TNAG-1954-FCO40-2783-Trade-of-rare-and-endangered-species-in-Hong-Kong-1989 — Page 33

CALLS ON THE MINISTER ON 19 JUNE BY NICHOLAS SOAMES MP WITH MRS KENT

(FRIENDS OF CONSERVATION) AND BY TOM SACKVILLE, MP

ELEPHANTS AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION

OBJECTIVES

1.

To gain credit for UK contributions to elephant/wildlife

conservation.

2. To resist calls for further aid in this area.

3. To deflect pressure for "compensation" for the loss of legal ivory

sales.

POINTS TO MAKE

4.

Share concern about decline in African elephant population.

know, UK banning all imports of ivory.

As you

5. UK took the lead in proposing EC-wide ban at recent Environment Council. Long-term effective international action can only be secured through CITES. Member states supported UK Government's view that there is now a case for transferring the African elephant from Appendix 2 to

Appendix 1 of CITES (imposing a worldwide ban on trade in ivory).

Recognise that this is a complicated issue. We will listen carefully to all the arguments and play a full part in discussions at the CITES

Conference in October.

6. No reliable figures for elephant population in Africa but decline clear. In 1979, population estimated at 1.3 million, now less than a

third of that.