TNAG-1954-FCO40-2783-Trade-of-rare-and-endangered-species-in-Hong-Kong-1989 — Page 79

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FM HONG KONG

TO DESKBY 14090OZ FCO

TELNO 1949

OF 14080OZ JUNE 89

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HKCISI/I

103

010254 MDHIAN 9148

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Q DIST 7

AND TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON

(104)

YOUR TELNO 1282: IVORY

WE HAVE THE FOLLOWING COMMENTS ON THE PARAGRAPHS COVERING HONG KONG:

(A) OUR POSITION IS THAT WE SUPPORT THE INTRODUCTION OF A BAN IN THE

TRADE OF NEW IVORY AND THE UPGRADING OF THE AFRICAN ELEPHANT TO APPENDIX I (ONE) OF CITES. THE FIFTH SENTENCE SHOULD THEREFORE BE AMENDED TO REFLEXT THIS.

(B) WE ACTUALLY STRENGTHENED OUR CONTROLS ON WORKED IVORY FROM EARLY AUGUST LAST YEAR. UNLESS A REFERENCE TO THIS IS SEEN AS CRUCIAL, WE SUGGEST DELETION OF THE PHRASE QUOTE AND RECENTLY STRENGTHENED ITS CONTROLS OVER WORKED IVORY UNQUOTE IN THE PENULTIMATE SENTENCE.

(C) IN REPLIES TO LETTERS SENT TO US WE ARE ALSO DRAWING ON THE POINTS THAT HKG HAS RECENTLY TAKEN CONTROL ONE STEP FURTHER BY STARTING TO REGISTER AND MARK ALL RAW IVORY AND LARGE CUT PIECES LEGALLY IMPORTED BEFORE JANUARY 1986 (FROM JANUARY 1986 ONWARDS ALL THESE STOCKS ARE ALREADY REGISTERED AND MARKED). WE ALSO REFER TO THE CREATION OF A SPECIAL TASK FORCE TO INVESTIGATE AND SUPPRESS AND ILLEGAL IMPORT AND EXPORT OF IVORY THROUGH HK.

2. AS REGARDS PARAGRAPH 2 OF TUR, THE REGULATIONS ON IVORY IMPORT APPLY TO ALL RAW AND WORKED IVORY EXCEPT FOR PERSONAL EFFECTS OF WORKED IVORY OF 1 KG. OR LESS PER PERSON.

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