TNAG-1955-FCO40-2784-Trade-of-rare-and-endangered-species-in-Hong-Kong-1989 — Page 137

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FM HONG KONG TO IMMEDIATE

TELNO 2139

OF 290925Z JUNE 89

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INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON

115.

OUR TELNO 1984: HONG KONG AND THE IVORY TRADE

254716

1. WE HAVE HAD FURTHER DISCUSSIONS LOCALLY WITH BOTH WWF AND THE IVORY TRADERS. HONG KONG'S STANCE AT THE BOTSWANA MEETING OF THE AFRICAN ELEPHANT WORKING GROUP WILL BE AS FOLLOWS. HONG KONG WILL

SUPPORT MEASURE WHICH WILL :

(A) ENSURE THE SURVIVAL OF THE SPECIES: AND

(B) ENABLE TRADE IN EXISTING, LEGALLY ACQUIRED STOCKS OF IVORY TO CONTINUE.

2. OUR SUPPORT FOR THE UPGRADING OF THE AFRICAN ELEPHANT FROM CITES APPENDIX II TO APPENDIX I WAS DETERMINED ON THIS BASIS. IN THE LIGHT OF A MORE DETAILED EXAMINATION OF THE CONVENTION, WE BELIEVE THAT OUR OBJECTIVE AT 1 (B) ABOVE WILL REQUIRE SOME WORK TO ACHIEVE SHOULD APPENDIX I APPLY.

3. THIS IS BECAUSE RESOLUTION CONF 5.11 PARAGRAPH (H) ADOPTED BY CITES AT THE 1985 CONFERENCE OF PARTIES PROVIDES QUOTE THAT IN THE CASE OF A SPECIES UPLISTED....FROM APPENDIX II TO I...... SPECIMENS CONCERNED SHALL BE SUBJECT TO THE PROVISIONS APPLICABLE TO THEM AT THE TIME OF EXPORT, RE-EXPORT OR IMPORT UNQUOTE. IT IS CLEAR FROM DEBATE ON THIS RESOLUTION (CITES DOCUMENT PLEN 5.7 SECTION 11 PP 115-116) THAT THE INTENTION WAS TO PROHIBIT TRADE IN EXISTING STOCKS

OF UPGRADED SPECIMENS I.E. TO PREVENT THE VERY THING WHICH WE SEEK.

4. THERE APPEAR TO BE FOUR WAYS FOR US TO ACHIEVE OBJECTIVE B1:

(A) TO SEEK AN AMENDMENT TO THE CONVENTION:

(B) TO ENTER AN APPROPRIATE CAVEAT IN THE DOCUMENT UPON WHICH THE PARTIES WILL DECIDE TO UPGRADE THE ELEPHANT IN ACCORDANCE WITH

ARTICLE XV OF THE CONVENTION:

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