TNAG-1956-FCO40-2785-Trade-of-rare-and-endangered-species-in-Hong-Kong-1989 — Page 48

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062712

MDHIAN 0209

SOUTHERN AFRICAN STATES, WAS DEFEATED BY A LARGE MAJORITY. THE UK, EC PARTNERS, AND US VOTED AGAINST ON THE GROUNDS THAT COUNTRIES COVERED IN THE PROPOSAL FOR APPENDIX II LISTING INCLUDED SOME WHOSE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS WERE UNPROVEN EG MOZAMBIQUE. THE SECOND PROPOSAL, FROM GABON ON SPLIT LISTING FOR CENTRAL AFRICAN STATES, WAS DEFEATED BY AN EVEN LARGER MAJORITY: THE UK, EC PARTNERS AND US AGAIN VOTED AGAINST. THE THIRD PROPOSAL WAS A PACKAGE OF SIX, ALL PROPOSING STRAIGHTFORWARD APPENDIX I LISTING WITH NO SPLIT LISTING. THE UK, EC PARTNERS AND US VOTED FOR THESE PROPOSALS BUT THE REQUIRED TWO-THIRDS MAJORITY WAS NOT ACHIEVED. COMMITTEE I THEN CONSIDERED AN AMENDED SOMALI PROPOSAL (FAXED TO MAED) FOR APPENDIX I LISTING FOR ALL AFRICAN ELEPHANT POPULATIONS WITH PROVISION FOR THOSE COUNTRIES WISHING TO DOWNGRADE TO APPENDIX II TO PRESENT THEIR CASE TO THE PARTIES TO CITES. AS THIS CAN ONLY BE DONE AT CONFERENCE THE PROPOSAL MEANT A TWO-YEAR CAT LEAST) MORITORIUM. THIS PROPOSAL WAS PASSED TO WIDESPREAD ACCLAMATION, WITH 76 COUNTRIES IN FAVOUR, 11 AGAINST, AND 4 ABSTENTIONS (INCLUDING JAPAN). IMMEDIATELY AFTERWARDS ZIMBABWE, BOTWANSA, MALAWI, MOZAMBIQUE, ZAMBIA AND BURUNDI ANNOUNCED THEIR INTENTION TO TAKE RESERVATIONS, WHICH WOULD MEAN THAT THEY DID NOT CONSIDER APPENDIX 1 TO APPLY TO THEM.

COMMENT

4. THE SOMALI PROPOSAL WAS PROBABLY THE BEST COMPROMISE WHICH THE COMMITTEES, AFTER 6 DAYS OF DEBATE, COULD HAVE REACHED. SUBJECT TO PLENARY DECISION THE ELEPHANT WILL NOW BE ON APPENDIX 1 WITH THE SITUATION TO BE REVIEWED AT THE NEXT CITES CONFERENCE. IT IS UNFORTUNATE THAT A NUMBER OF SOUTHERN AND CENTRAL AFRICAN PRODUCER COUNTRIES HAVE THREATENED TO ENTER RESERVATIONS BUT SIGNIFICANT THAT NO CONSUMER COUNTRY HAS DONE SO. THOSE AFRICAN COUNTRIES WOULD THEREFORE HAVE GREAT DIFFICULTY IN TRADING IN ELEPHANT PRODUCTS SHOULD THEY WISH TO DO SO. PLENARY SESSION OF THE CONFERENCE WILL VOTE ON THE ISSUE LATER IN THE WEEK. WITH SUCH A LARGE MAJORITY IN COMMITTEE I IT IS UNLIKELY THAT PLENARY WILL DO OTHER THAN ENDORSE

THIS DECISION.

5. VOTING ON RESOLUTION 5.11 (EXISTING STOCKS) WILL PROBABLY TAKE PLACE ON 17 OCTOBER. HONG KONG WILL AGAIN BE ALLOWED TO PUT ITS CASE FOR EXEMPTION.

SANKEY

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