TNAG-1954-FCO40-2783-Trade-of-rare-and-endangered-species-in-Hong-Kong-1989 — Page 73

PJYAIO

FROM:

Mr Paul

DATE:

HKCIJI

31/1

PS/Lord Glenarthur

HONG KONG: IVORY SMUGGLING

CC:

Hong Kong Department

12 June 1989

PS/Mr Eggar

Mr McLaren

Mr Jeffrey, MAED

EAD

DOE, Bristol

Mr Carrington,

Wildlife Division

108

A

11/0

Problem

1.

Two letters from Mr John Patten MP and Mr David Knox MP,

enclosing letters from constituents, expressing concern about the

slaughter of African elephants and alleging that Hong Kong is a

major centre for the illegal trade in ivory.

Recommendation

2. I recommend that Lord Glenarthur should reply on the lines of

the attached drafts. MAED concur.

Background

3. As Lord Glenarthur will be aware, in the past few weeks, there

has been increasing public concern about the poaching of African

elephants and the illegal trade in ivory. This has been fuelled by

numerous television programmes and newspaper campaigns calling for

Government action.

4. The commercial import and export of ivory is controlled under

the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild

Fauna and Flora (CITES). The African elephant is currently listed

on Appendix II of the Convention, which means that ivory from this