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064637 MDLOAN 3649
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FM FCO
TO ROUTINE NAIROBI TELNO 277
OF 291615Z JUN 89
INFO ROUTINE BDDEA NAIROBI, DAR ES SALAAM, KAMPALA, HARARE INFO ROUTINE DAKAR, YAOUNDE, LILONGWE, LUSAKA, KINSHASA, KHARTOUM INFO ROUTINE PRETORIA, GABORONE, HONG KONG, UKREP BRUSSELS
OUR TELNO 256: KENYA: SAVE THE ELEPHANT CONFERENCE
1.
PATRICK ORR (RAITT ORR ASSOCIATES) TELEPHONED EAD ON 27 JUNE TO REPORT ON HIS RECENT VISIT TO KENYA. HE SAID THE CONCEPT OF THE CONFERENCE MIGHT BE CHANGED. IN AN EFFORT TO BRING ZIMBABWE TO ACCEPT A TOTAL BAN ON IVORY TRADE, THE KENYANS WERE NOW CONSIDERING HOLDING A DONORS CONFERENCE IN LATE FEBRUARY, DESIGNED TO ELICIT PLEDGES TO HELP COMPENSATE AFRICAN COUNTRIES FOR THE LOSS OF REVENUE FROM THE LEGAL IVORY TRADE. ORR SAID THAT LEAKEY (DIRECTOR OF WILDLIFE) WAS CONFIDENT OF ATTRACTING SUFFICIENT DONOR SUPPORT, AND HAD KENYAN MFA BACKING. THE KENYANS HOPED FOR HIGH LEVEL BRITISH REPRESENTATION.
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2. CODRINGTON TOLD ORR THAT THIS WAS A RADICALLY DIFFERENT CONFERENCE TO THE CONCEPT ORIGINALLY PROPOSED, AND WOULD REQUIRE VERY CAREFUL CONSIDERATION. THE LEVEL OF BRITISH REPRESENTATION WOULD DEPEND ON HMG'S ATTITUDE TO SUCH A PLEDGING CONFERENCE. ORR WAS GIVEN NO/NO ENCOURAGEMENT TO EXPECT ENTHUSIASM. ORR SAID THAT HE UNDERSTOOD THAT A WIDER RANGING CONFERENCE MIGHT HAVE MORE APPEAL. HE PROMISED TO WRITE TO US QUOTE IN A FEW WEEKS UNQUOTE.
3. WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL IF YOU WOULD TRY TO FIND OUT FROM LEAKEY WHAT HE HAS IN MIND. YOU SHOULD TAKE THE LINE THAT:
A. WE WOULD HAVE GREAT DIFFICULTY WITH A CONFERENCE OF THE KIND
DESCRIBED BY ORR.
B. COMPENSATION IS QUITE THE WRONG CONCEPT. WE WOULD BE UNABLE TO ACCEPT ANY INVOLVEMENT THAT IMPLIED HMG CONSIDERATION OF IT.
C. WE ARE, HOWEVER, KEEN TO DISCUSS WITH RELEVANT GOVERNMENTS PRACTICAL SUPPORT FOR WILDLIFE CONSERVATION THROUGH OUR TC PROGRAMMES, AND ARE ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN EXPLORING SUCH PROJECTS
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