TNAG-1956-FCO40-2785-Trade-of-rare-and-endangered-species-in-Hong-Kong-1989 — Page 63

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053004

MDADAN 9678

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FM UKMIS GENEVA

TO DESKBY 1312OOZ FCO

TELNO 626

OF 131053Z OCTOBER 1989

HKCISI/I

FROM UK DELEGATION TO CITES CONFERENCE

ROUND-UP, 12 OCTOBER

SUMMARY

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ADVANCE COPY Copy

13/10

1 INCONCLUSIVE DEBATE IN COMMITTEE II ON AFRICAN ELEPHANT. RESTATEMENT OF NATIONAL POSITIONS.

HONG KONG DELEGATE SPEAKS IN

FAVOUR OF TRADE IN EXISTING STOCKS. KENYAN AND NEW ZEALAND PROPOSAL TO REFER IVORY QUESTION BACK TO COMMITTEE I ACCEPTED BY CONSENSUS.

DETAIL

2. COMMITTEE II CONTINUED ITS WORK ON AFRICAN ELEPHANT IVORY, HEARING STATEMENTS FROM SEVERAL DELEGATIONS BOTH IN FAVOUR AND AGAINST APPENDIX I LISTING. ZIMBABWE (MRS CHITEPO) PRESENTED ITS CASE FOR SPLIT LISTING BUT DID NOT REFER TO THE POSSIBILITY OF A RESERVATION. BURUNDI (CONSIDERED TO BE THE ARCH VILLAIN IN THE ILLEGAL IVORY TRADE) REFERRED TO THE NEED TO CLEAN UP THE IVORY

TRADE.

TANZANIA AND KENYA SPOKE FORCEFULLY IN FAVOUR OF APPENDIX I LISTING, AND AGAINST CONTINUED TRADE IN EXISTING STOCKS. TANZANIA ACCUSED BURUNDI AND THE SECRETARIAT OF COMPLICITY IN TRADE IN ILLEGAL POACHED IVORY. THIS WAS REFUTED BY BOTH, WITH THE SECRETARIAT ASKING FOR PROOF.

3. DURING THE DEBATE ON RESOLUTION 5.11 ON EXISTING TRADE, FOLLAND INTRODUCED THE HONG KONG DELEGATION. IN DOING SO HE MADE A STRONG STATEMENT OF THE UK'S LINE ON APPENDIX I LISTING WHICH FOLLOWED CLOSELY THE STATEMENT BY MR TRIPPER TO THE PRESS. DR LEE OF HONG KONG GAVE AN EXCELLENT PRESENTATION OF HONG KONG'S CASE FOR AN AMENDMENT TO 5.11 WHICH WOULD ALLOW FOR EXISTING TRADE. HE REFERRED TO HONG KONG'S SUPPORT FOR STRICTER CONTROLS ON TRADE IN IVORY, APPENDIX I LISTING, AND FOR THE CONSERVATION OF ALL ENDANGERED SPECIES. HE DESCRIBED AT LENGTH THE MEASURES HONG KONG HAD TAKEN TO ENSURE THAT NO ILLEGAL IVORY COULD FIND ITS WAY ONTO THE MARKET THROUGH TRADE IN STOCKS ACQUIRED LEGALLY UNDER CITES PROVISIONS. 4. WHEN IT LOOKED LIKELY THAT A VOTE WOULD BE TAKEN ON 5.11 BOTH KENYA AND NEW ZEALAND PROPOSED THAT THE QUESTION OF APPENDIX I LISTING SHOULD BE DECIDED FIRST AND THAT COMMITTEE II SHOULD REFER THIS BACK TO COMMITTEE I FOR FURTHER ADVICE ON WHETHER SOUTHERN AFRICAN POPULATIONS WERE BIOLOGICALLY CAPABLE OF EXPLOITATION. THIS WAS UNOPPOSED AND THE CHAIRMAN THEREFORE REFERRED THE ISSUE AGAIN TO

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