TNAG-1956-FCO40-2785-Trade-of-rare-and-endangered-species-in-Hong-Kong-1989 — Page 18

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FM UKMIS GENEVA

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TELNO 647

OF 180941Z OCTOBER 1989

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HKCIST

AND TO DESKBY 181045Z UKDEL KUALA LUMPUR

FROM UKDEL CITES

WORKING GROUP ON SOMALI PROPOSAL

SUMMARY

066473

6292

MDHIAN 0392

Ention PA

13/10

1. COMMITTEE II SETS UP WORKING GROUP TO AGREE ON CRITERIA TO BE USED IN DOWNGRADING ELEPHANT POPULATIONS FROM APPENDIX I TO APPENDIX II AND TO SELECT A PANEL OF EXPERTS TO PUT THIS INTO PRACTICE.

2. DURING ITS AFTERNOON SESSION ON 17 OCTOBER COMMITTEE II SET UP A WORKING GROUP TO AGREE CRITERIA ON WHICH ELEPHANT POPULATIONS COULD BE DOWNGRADED FROM APPENDIX I TO APPENDIX II (AS PROVIDED FOR IN THE AMENDED SOMALI PROPOSAL ALREADY ADOPTED BY CONFERENCE) AND TO SELECT A PANEL OF EXPERTS TO PUT THIS INTO PRACTICE. A WORKING GROUP OF NINE WAS AGREED UPON, FORMED OF REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE INTERNATIONAL UNION FOR THE CONSERVATION OF NATURE, UNEP AND TRAFFIC CALL OF WHOM WERE MENTIONED IN THE SOMALI PROPOSAL), NATIONAL DELEGATIONS REPRESENTING REGIONAL GROUPS, AND AN EXPERT FROM WWF AS SUGGESTED BY THE EC. THE UK'S SUGGESTION THAT SOMALI, AS PROPOSER OF THE SUCCESSFUL PROPOSAL, ALSO BE CO-OPTED WAS ACCEPTED.

3. THE WORKING GROUP STARTED ITS WORK IMMEDIATELY BUT AS YET WE HAVE NO REPORTS ON PROGRESS. IF THE CRITERIA AGREED BY THE WORKING GROUP ARE SUFFICIENTLY GENEROUS TOWARDS COUNTRIES SUCH AS ZIMBABWE AND BOTSWANA, IT MAY YET PROVE POSSIBLE TO AVOID MAJOR RESERVATIONS ON THE SOMALI PROPOSAL. IF THE WORKING GROUP WAS ALSO TO RECOMMEND THAT INSTEAD OF THE PARTIES RULING ON DOWNGRADING, WHICH WOULD MEAN AN EFFECTIVE MORATORIUM UNTIL THE NEXT CONFERENCE, THE STANDING COMMITTEE COULD UNDERTAKE THIS TASK FOR THEM IN THE INTERIM CAN IDEA BEING FLOATED IN THE CONFERENCE) THIS WOULD PROVIDE FURTHER COMFORT TO THE SOUTHERN AFRICAN STATES.

SANKEY

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