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MDHIAN DE
ELEPHANT PRODUCTS. THE PROPONENTS OF UPGRADING STATED THAT WITHOUT A WORLDWIDE BAN THE AFRICAN ELEPHANT, ALREADY DECIMATED IN EAST AFRICAN COUNTRIES SUCH AS KENYA AND TANZANIA, WOULD FACE EXTINCTION. THE OPPONENTS OF THE PROPOSALS, SOUTHERN AFRICAN, AND SOME CENTRAL AFRICAN STATES LED BY ZIMBABWE AND BOTSWANA, POINTED TO THE SUCCESS OF THEIR ELEPHANT MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS AS PROOF THAT THE KEY TO
WITH CONSERVATION OF THE ELEPHANT LAY IN USING IT AS A RESOURCE, IVORY FROM LEGAL CULLING PROVIDING REVENUE FOR CONSERVATION PROGRAMMES AND LOCAL POPULATIONS. THEY INSISTED AN APPENDIX II LISTING FOR THEIR ELEPHANT POPULATIONS. NO COMPROMISE HAD BEEN REACHED BEFORE THE CONFERENCE.
5. THE SECOND ISSUE WAS PROPOSALS TO AMEND RESOLUTION 5.11 ON EXISTING TRADE. AS IT STOOD THIS RESOLUTION PROVIDED FOR A COMPLETE BAN ON TRADE IN ANY PRODUCTS DERIVED FROM A SPECIES UPGRADED FROM APPENDIX II TO APPENDIX I IRRESPECTIVE OF WHEN A COUNTRY ACQUIRED THE PRODUCTS. TWO PROPOSALS WERE ON THE TABLE FOR A CUT-OFF DATE, ALLOWING IVORY LEGALLY ACQUIRED BEFORE THAT DATE TO BE TRADED. THE LARGEST STOCKS OF IVORY,AROUND 600 TONNES, ARE IN HONG KONG. OPPONENTS OF ANY AMENDMENT TO 5.11 ALLEGED THAT MOST OF THE IVORY IN HONG KONG WAS POACHED, AND THAT IF IT RE-ENTERED TRADE IT WOULD PROVIDE A COVER FOR THE ENTRY OF MORE ILLEGAL IVORY. HONG KONG DELEGATES ARGUED THAT ALL IVORY IN THE COLONY HAD BEEN ACQUIRED LEGALLY UNDER CITES PROCEDURES AND THAT CONTROL SYSTEMS NOW IN OPERATION WOULD PREVENT ILLEGAL IVORY ENTERING THE MARKET WITH LEGAL
IVORY.
6.THE DEBATE ON IVORY OPENED IN COMMITTEE I (EXPERTS) ON 10 OCTOBER. THE MAIN PROTAGINISTS ON THE APPENDIX I LISTING SPOKE, WITH THE USA AND TANZANIA MAKING A PARTICULARLY STRONG CASE FOR FULL APPENDIX I LISTING AND ZIMBABWE AND BOTSWANA AGAINST, BOTH REFERRING TO THE POSSIBILITY OF ENTERING RESERVATIONS IE A REFUSAL TO APPLY APPENDIX I LISTING TO THEIR ELEPHANT POPULATIONS. ON BEHALF OF THE COMMUNITY THE FRENCH ENVIRONMENT MINISTER, BRICE LALONDE, GAVE FULL SUPPORT FOR APPENDIX I LISTING WITH NO EXEMPTIONS. FOLLOWING FURTHER DISCUSSION IN COMMITTEE I ON 11 OCTOBER, WITH SPEECHES FROM NGOS, ISRAEL (IN FAVOUR OF APPENDIX I), AND CHINA (IN FAVOUR OF SPLIT LISTING -APPENDIX I FOR SOME ELEPHANT POPULATIONS AND APPENDIX II FOR OTHERS)
THE CHAIRMAN PROPOSED THE TENTATIVE CONCLUSION THAT SPLIT LISTING COULD BE RECOMMENDED ON BIOLOGICAL GROUNDS AND THAT COMMITTEE II (POLITICAL AND TRADE) SHOULD CONSIDER THE QUESTION STRAIGHTAWAY.
7.
HEARING
COMMITTEE II DISCUSSIONS TOOK PLACE ON 11 AND 12 OCTOBER, FIRST A PROPOSAL FROM ZIMBABWE FOR A MARKETING AND CONTROL SYSTEM FOR
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