TNAG-1956-FCO40-2785-Trade-of-rare-and-endangered-species-in-Hong-Kong-1989 — Page 178

Entur PA

C40

11 September 1989

HKCISI/1

ら

(226)

Thank you for your letter of 4 September on behalf of your constituents, Mr and Mrs D Blower, of Court Cottage, Atherington, Umberleigh, Devon EX37 9HY about the killing of African elephants for their ivory.

I share Mr and Mrs Blower's concern. In the last twenty years the number of African elephants has reportedly fallen from two and a quarter million to just three quarters of a million. It is essential that action is taken now to stop any further decline.

At the beginning of June the Government introduced a ban on the import of African elephant ivory and the other countries of the European Community have now done the same. In October the 103 countries who have signed the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) will meet in Lausanne to discuss an international ban on commercial trade in ivory from the African elephant. The issue is not however as straightforward as it first appears. A number of Southern African countries operate wildlife programmes which have not only been successful in conserving the elephant population but in some cases have actually increased it. For example, since 1979 the elephant population of Zimbabwe has increased from 30,000 to 45,000, and that of Botswana from 20,000 to 60,000. These countries are opposed to a complete ban on trade.

Your constituents ask that the Government does not support any exemption from a total ban for Hong Kong. The position of Hong Kong, as well as the Southern African countries, will be fully discussed at the CITES conference. We will consider carefully, in conjunction with our European Community partners, all the proposals put forward and will vote for those which we consider will best ensure the continued future

/of

...