TNAG-1956-FCO40-2785-Trade-of-rare-and-endangered-species-in-Hong-Kong-1989 — Page 124

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MDLIAN 0438

TITLE TO REFER TO EXISTING APPENDIX II AND III SPECIMENS (RATHER THAN QUOTE PRECONVENTION SPECIMENS UNQUOTE). OTHER THAN THAT, WE ARE CONTENT WITH ITS TEXT. THIS APPEARS UNLIKELY TO BE CONTROVERSIAL AND WE WOULD LOOK TO THE UK DELEGATE TO

SUGGEST AN APPROPRIATE AMENDMENT.

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AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE BEEN RELUCTANT TO SUGGEST A RESERVATION. IT IS OUR FINAL FALL-BACK POSITION. WE COULD NOT ACCEPT A SITUATION WHERE TRADE IN NEW IVORY FROM SOUTHERN AFRICAN STATES OR THE ILLEGAL STOCKS IN BURUNDI AND DJIBOUTI, FOR EXAMPLE, WOULD BE ALLOWED TO CONTINUE, YET TRADE IN EXISTING LEGALLY ACQUIRED STOCKS IN HONG KONG WOULD NOT. THE CONSEQUENCES OF NOT ENTERING A RESERVATION ARE POTENTIALLY VERY DIFFICULT AND THERE IS EVERY LIKELIHOOD THAT THE TRADE IN HONG KONG'S EXTENSIVE STOCKS WOULD BE DRIVEN UNDERGROUND. WE MUST SEEK TO

AVOID THIS SITUATION.

IN ADDITION TO MAKING FORMAL STATEMENT, WE FEEL IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF WE WERE

(A) TO PRODUCE INFORMATION NOTES ON

(I)

THE CONTROL OF IVORY TRADE IN HONG KONG: AND

(II) (TO EMPHASISE OUR

CREDENTIALS') THE CONTROL OF RHINO

HORN IN HONG KONG: AND

(B)

TO SHOW IN THE CONFERENCE A SHORT VIDEO ON THE IVORY TRADE IN HONG KONG DURING A SUITABLE BREAK (A COPY WAS GIVEN TO STONE, HKD DURING DAF'S VISIT).

THE IMPACT OF 7(A), IN PARTICULAR, WILL BE GREATER IF THEY WERE TO BE CIRCULATED TO PARTIES BY THE UK AND WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL IF DOE COULD BE ASKED TO CONSIDER.

8.

FOR

WE NOW NEED A FIRM STATEMENT OF YOUR AND DOE'S SUPPORT

(A)

A STATEMENT BEING MADE BY, OR ON HONG KONG'S BEHALF, AT THE CONFERENCE:

(B)

THE RESOLUTION CONTAINED DOC.7.43.2 AS AMENDED (PARA. 5 ABOVE): AND

(C)

THE ENTERING OF A RESERVATION IN RESPECT OF HONG KONG IN THE EVENT THAT THE RESOLUTION UNDER (B) IS DEFEATED

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