TNAG-1955-FCO40-2784-Trade-of-rare-and-endangered-species-in-Hong-Kong-1989 — Page 65

The

Environment Council meeting on 8-9 June he called on

European colleagues to support this proposal.

Commission have now put forward a draft EC regulation and

possible exceptions thereto which will be discussed at

the EC CITES meeting on 27 July. These exceptions take

no account of the position of Hong Kong and of certain

countries in Southern Africa which oppose a ban in

imports. Furthermore, we understand that DOE officials

have instructions not to take any initiative to introduce

exceptions for fear of giving the impression that the UK

position is being weakened. They have dispensation to

show support for any proposals for exceptions put forward

by other member states. The draft EC regulation (and

exceptions) do not offer any solution to the problem of

{૭૦

tonnes

were legally

raw

Hong Kong which has 100 metric tonnes of worked ivory of this alort valued at US$18 million, which was imported into Hong

for working and

re-export

Kong from the EC Hong Kong authorities assure us that

this is legally obtained ivory, much of which was

pts

destined for re-importation into EC countries

X

which has

a total stock of some 670 tonnes of mory (500 ran a no ucarized) value off is $128 methicon

4. Hong Kong has supported our call for the upgrading of

Cand have intrestreet a from ox the African elephant to Appendix I of CITES But

be continued to dispose of

Kong wishes to ensure that trade in existing legally

Worry,

acquired stocks of ivory, be continued. 3.0

importal.

import

new