TNAG-1955-FCO40-2784-Trade-of-rare-and-endangered-species-in-Hong-Kong-1989 — Page 114

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HKCISI/I

Elurra (157

071374

MDLIAN 3717

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FM HARARE

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELNO 389

OF 04100OZ JULY 89

INFO ROUTINE NAIROBI, DAKAR, YAOUNDE, ILONGWE, KAMPALA, LUSAKA

INFO ROUTINE DAR ES SALAAM, KINSHASAKHARTOUM, PRETORIA, HONG KONG INFO ROUTINE UKREP BRUSSELS

6148

SHASAY

YOUR TELNO 270 TO HARARE, AND YOUR TELNO 277

NAIROBI: IVORY TRADE

1.

AS YOU SUGGEST (FIRST TUR) INTERNAL TRADE IN ZIMBABWE IN IVORY IS NEGLIGIBLE. MUCH OF IVORY SOLD INTERNALLY IS IN ANY CASE SOLD TO FOREIGN TOURISTS. EXTERNAL TRADE IS CONSIDERABLE, AND IN 1987 (LAST YEAR FOR WHICH FIGURES ARE AVAILABLE) ZIMBABWE EXPORTED 12,503 TONNES, AND IN 1986 14,700 TONNES. FOREIGN EXCHANGE LOSSES OF BAN COULD THEREFORE BE CONSIDERABLE. THERE ARE ALSO EMPLOYMENT

IMPLICATIONS.

2.

THE MAIN ARGUMENT USED HERE AGAINST BAN IN IVORY TRADE IS HOWEVER NOT FINANCIAL BUT CONSERVATIONIST. IT IS THAT BAN ON TRADE DEVALUES THE ELEPHANT FOR ORDINARY PEOPLE, WHO MUST TOLERATE THE CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE DONE EACH YEAR BY ELEPHANTS TO CROPS, WOODLANDS ETC. IN THIS WAY, PRESSURE TO KILL ELEPHANTS WILL INCREASE, IN CONTRAST TO THE PRESENT SITUATION WHERE CONTROLLED CULLING WITH CONSEQUENT LOCAL COMMERCIAL BENEFITS FOR ORDINARY PEOPLE GIVES CONSERVATION OF ELEPHANT A HIGH PRIORITY.

MELHUISH

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DISTRIBUTION

115

NENAD

PS/PUS

PS/MRS CHALKER

PS/LORD GLENARTHUR

PS/MR EGGAR

PS/SIR J FRETWELL

MR TOMKYS

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112

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CAFD

OADS

SAD

HKD

ECD (E)

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