DSR 11C (Revised 5/87)
has formally asked us to help urgently in one or other of
SECURITY CLASSIFICATION the following ways:
Top Secret
Secret
Confidential
Restricted
(a) To press for the establishment of a special
fund, sponsored by the main CITES parties, to purchase
the ivory that is legally held by traders in Hong Kong;
Unclassified
PRIVACY MARKING
In Confidence
or
(b) To enter a reservation on Hong Kong's behalf,
to remain in force for a period of six months after the
expiry of the 90 day grace period, so that the traders
have time to dispose of their existing stocks, and to
enable a retraining scheme for ivory craftsmen to be
implemented.
The idea of establishing an international buy out
fund is not a practicable proposition. There is no
provision for this in the CITES Convention. Few
countries would be willing to contribute to such a fund.
We should therefore quickly scotch this idea, before
unrealistic expectations are raised in Hong Kong.
The alternative proposal, that of entering a
reservation on Hong Kong's behalf, is technically
feasible. There is a provision in the Convention for
states to enter reservations (Article XV (1)(C)).
is also a precedence for this procedure: the UK entered a
reservation for Hong Kong in 1977
There
I believe that it would be right to give Hong Kong a
six month breathing space in which to adjust to the new
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.