HKC 151/1
CONFIDENTIAL
VIST BY MR BAYNE TO HONG KONG 16-17 NOVEMBER 1989
BACKGROUND BRIEF: HONG KONG AND THE IVORY TRADE
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1. At the 7th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on
International Trade in Endangered Species CITES which was held in
Lausanne on 9-20 October 1989, it was agreed that all international
trade in ivory from the African elephant should be banned. Under
CITES rules the ban becomes effective 90 days after the resolution,
although certain African countries indicated an intention to drop
out of the ban The UK voted in favour of the ban, but abstained
(on Hong Kong's behalf) on a Resolution which would have allowed
continued trade in existing stock. The Resolution was defeated. The UK also put forward a resolution recommending immediate implementation of the ban on trade. This resolution was passed.
•
A more detailed report on the CITES conference is contained in
Berne telno 208 of 20 October.
2.
Hong Kong's ivory trade is now facing serious difficulties as a result of the decision at the CITES Conference. Hong Kong is the
world's largest ivory trade centre. There are at present about 500 tonnes of raw ivory and 170 tonnes of carved ivory in Hong Kong with
an estimated value of HK$1200 million. These stocks were legally
acquired under CITES regulation. In the normal course of events,
it would take 5-10 years to dispose of them. Some 3,000 people are
directly engaged in the trading and carving of ivory.
3. Hong Kong is a party to CITES through UK's ratification and the Hong Kong Government have always conformed strictly with CITES rules on endangered species. For example, in response to maintaining international concern earlier this year about the continued decline of the African elephant, the Hong Kong Government decided in June to ban the import of raw ivory in order to discourage illegal poaching and stockpiling of ivory. The Hong Kong Government also introduced new measures to combat illegal trading. In October Hong Kong's
Executive Council decided to phase out the ivory trade, whatever the
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