TNAG-1957-FCO40-2786-Hong-Kong-Animals-and-Plants-(Protection-of-Endangered-Speci-1989 — Page 139

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IVORY WHICH WOULD LEAVE SOME SOUTHERN AFRICAN STATES ON APPENDIX II. THIS WAS STRONGLY OPPOSED BY KENYA, THE US AND NGOS. ZIMBABWE'S MINISTER, MRS CHITEPO, RESTATED ITS CASE ON 12 OCTOBER, FOLLOWED BY

KENYA AND TANZANIA, THE LATTER FURTHER STATEMENTS OF OPPOSITION FROM ACCUSING BURUNDI AND THE SECRETARIAT OF CITES OF COMPLICITY IN TRADE IN ILLEGAL IVORY. THIS WAS STRONGLY REFUTED BY THE SECRETARIAT. BURUNDI, WIDELY HELD TO BE THE ARCH VILLAIN IN THE ILLEGAL IVORY TRADE, HAD EARLIER CALLED FOR THE IVORY TRADE TO BE CLEANED UP. THIS STATEMENT WAS RECEIVED WITH INCREDULITY BY THE SESSION. THE QUESTION OF TRADE IN EXISTING STOCKS WAS RAISED AND THE UK INTRODUCED THE HONG KONG DELEGATE WHO MADE A STRONG CASE IN FAVOUR OF CONTINUED TRADE DESCRIBING THE MEASURES THAT HAD BEEN TAKEN BY HONG KONG TO ENSURE THAT NO ILLEGAL IVORY COULD ENTER TRADE UNDER COVER OF EXISTING LEGAL STOCKS. WHEN IT LOOKED LIKELY THAT A VOTE ON 5.11 WOULD BE TAKEN BOTH ABILITY OF KENYA AND NEW ZEALAND PROPOSED THAT FURTHER ADVICE ON THE SOUTHERN AFRICAN STOCKS TO WITHSTAND EXPLOITATION WAS REQUIRED AND THAT THE APPENDIX I ISSUE SHOULD BE DEBATED BEFORE 5.11. THESE PROPOSALS WERE UNOPPOSED AND THE QUESTION REFERRED BACK TO COMMITTEE I, WHICH MET AGAIN ON 13 OCTOBER. THE UK ABSTAINED ON THE QUESTION OF WHETHER A VOTE ON APPENDIX I LISTING COULD BE TAKEN ON THE GROUNDS THAT FURTHER TIME WAS NEEDED TO CONSIDER THE NUMEROUS PROPOSALS AND AMENDMENTS BEFORE THE CONFERENCE.

8. RECOVENING ON 16 OCTOBER COMMITTEE I HEARD SCIENTIFIC OPINION FROM WWF ON THE STATUS OF INDIVIDUAL ELEPHANT POPULATIONS AND THEN QUICKLY MOVED TO A VOTE ON THE PROPOSALS BEFORE IT. THE FIRST VOTE WAS ON A ZIMBABWE PROPOSAL FOR APPENDIX II LISTING FOR SOUTHERN AFRICAN POPULATIONS. THIS WAS DEFEATED WITH THE UK, EC PARTNERS, AND THE US ALL VOTING AGAINST ON THE GROUNDS THAT THE PROPOSAL INCLUDED A NUMBER OF COUNTRIES WHOSE ELEPHANT POPULATIONS WERE CONSIDERED ENDANGERED. A SECOND PROPOSAL, BY GABON PROPOSING APPENDIX II LISTING FOR CENTRAL AFRICAN COUNTRIES WAS ALSO HEAVILY DEFEATED, THE UK, EC PARTNERS AND US AGAIN VOTING AGAINST. THE THIRD VOTE WAS ON A PACKAGE OF SIX PROPOSALS ALL PROPOSING APPENDIX I LISTING WITH NO EXEMPTIONS ATTAINED

EC PARTNERS

IGHT MAJORITY BUT NOT THE TWO-THIRDS REQUIRED. THE UK, THE FOURTH VOTE WAS ON US VOTED FOR THESE PROPOSALS.

A SOMALI “ OSAL FOR APPENDIX I LISTING WITH PROVISION FOR DOWNGRADING AT THE NEXT CONFERENCE OF THOSE POPULATIONS WHICH COULD BE DEMONSTRATED TO BE CAPABLE OF EXPLOITATION. THE UK, EC PARTNERS AND US VOTED FOR THIS PROPOSAL WHICH WAS PASSED BY 76 TO 11, WITH 4 ABSTENTIONS (INCLUDING JAPAN). IMMEDIATELY AFTERWARDS ZIMBABWE, BOTSWANA, MALAWI MOZAMBIQUE AND BURUNDI ANNOUNCED THEIR INTENTION TO TAKE RESERVATIONS. THE PLENARY SESSION OF CONFERENCE ADOPTED THE

THE FIVE COUNTRIES OF RESOLUTION BY CONCENSUS ON 17 OCTOBER.

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