TNAG-1954-FCO40-2783-Trade-of-rare-and-endangered-species-in-Hong-Kong-1989 — Page 75

checked to ensure that only ivory from CITES approved sources is granted a licence. In any cases of doubt, the consignment is

detained pending investigation or clarification with the CITES

Secretariat. In a free port such as Hong Kong, some illegal cargoes

will inevitably slip through the net but the Hong Kong Government

are taking measures to assess and suppress as far as possible the illegal elements of the trade. On 1 June, they set up a Special

Task Force to investigate the extent to which illegal ivory is entering Hong Kong and to advise on measures to stamp it out.

June the Hong Kong Government announced its support for the

introduction of a ban in the trade in new ivory and the upgrading of

the African elephant to CITES Appendix I. They are now

whether they can

take

any further measures before the

CMES meety in October.

considen's

On 9

A R Paul

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