TNAG-1956-FCO40-2785-Trade-of-rare-and-endangered-species-in-Hong-Kong-1989 — Page 4

CONFIDENTIAL

(299)

100403

MDHOAN 6068

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

TELNO 2151

OF 20175OZ OCTOBER-89

HKCISI/1

TO COPY Q DIST ?

294.

YOUR TELNO 3503 HONG KONG IVORY TRADE AND CITES

1

AS YOU KNOW COUR TELNO 2097 OF 16 OCTOBER) WE HAD BEEN CONSIDERING URGENTLY THE IMPLICATIONS OF A DECISION AT THE CITES CONFERENCE TO IMPOSE A BAN ON TRADE IN EXISTING STOCKS OF IVORY INCLUDING THOSE IN HONG KONG.

2.

IMMEDIATELY ON RECEIPT OF YOUR TELNO 3503, WE CONTACTED THE UK DELEGATION IN LAUSANNE TO SEE IF IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE, EVEN AT THIS VERY LATE STAGE, TO RAISE THE IDEA OF AN INTERNATIONAL FUND AT THE CONFERENCE. WE WERE NOT HOWEVER SUCCESSFUL. WE SUBSEQUENTLY SPOKE TO DR LEE AND ASKED HIM TO FIND A WAY TO MAKE A STATEMENT ON BEHALF OF HONG KONG CALLING FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN INTERNATIONAL FUND TO BUY OUT EXISTING IVORY STOCKS IN THE INTERESTS OF SECURING MORE EFFECTIVE COMPLIANCE WITH THE CITES RESOLUTION BY MINIMISING THE RISK OF THE INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN IVORY BEING DRIVEN UNDERGROUND. WE REGRET HOWEVER THAT DR LEE WAS UNABLE TO FIND AN OPPORTUNITY TO REGISTER THIS POINT BEFORE THE CONFERENCE CLOSED.

3. IT IS A PITY THAT YOU WERE UNABLE TO INFORM US SOONER OF YOUR WISH TO HANDLE THE PROBLEM IN THIS WAY. WE ARE VERY MUCH AWARE OF THE DIFFICULTIES THAT HONG KONG IS FACING CHENCE OUR TELNO 2097). BUT WE CONCLUDED FROM YOUR REPLY CHONG KONG TELNO 3460) THAT YOU CONSIDERED THE SITUATION TO BE MANAGEABLE.

MAJOR

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MR BAYNE

MR TOMKYS

MR GILLMORE

MR SLATER

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CONFIDENTIAL

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