TNAG-2129-FCO40-3044-Hong-Kong-and-the-ivory-trade-1990 — Page 18

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10 DOWNING STREET

HKCIS LONDON SWIA 2AA RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

-2 FEB 1990

DESK OFFICER

From the Private Secretary

INDEX

30 January 1990

REGISTRY

Action Taker,

31/1

The Prime Minister has asked me to thank you for your letter of 28 December about the stock of African elephant ivory held in Hong Kong. Since you wrote, we have entered a six- month Reservation on behalf of Hong Kong against the listing of the African elephant on Appendix I of CITES.

Hong Kong is committed to comply in full with the ban on all international commercial trade in ivory introduced by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) on 18 January. Hong Kong has traditionally been a major ivory trading centre and has large stocks of legally-acquired ivory. The Reservation, which we entered on 17 January, is designed to give Hong Kong a reasonable period in which to adjust to the ban by allowing traders to dispose of these stocks in an orderly fashion and enabling the 3,000 carvers and workers to find alternative employment. Hong Kong has already imposed a ban on all imports of ivory, which will ensure that there is no loophole for the entry of illegal ivory onto the market.

We consider the entering of the Reservation the best way of meeting our responsibilities to a Dependent Territory without compromising our support for measures to preserve the African elephant. We have made it clear that the Reservation will be withdrawn after six months and that it will not apply to any other British Dependent Territory. At the end of the six months any exports of ivory from Hong Kong will be in accordance with CITES controls.

The Hong Kong Government have taken various measures to deter illegal trading and to enhance controls over existing stocks. A special customs task force has been created to investigate and suppress any illegal trade through Hong Kong and maximum fines for violating legislation on endangered species have been increased 5-fold, accompanied by confiscation of illegal consignments.

Stocks of ivory already in Hong Kong are registered, and since 12 January possession licences have been required for all commercial ivory and personal effects in excess of 5kg. Movement of ivory between dealers is recorded and their records of the stock holdings are adjusted accordingly. No ivory can leave Hong Kong without an export licence and no licences are issued for exports to countries which have implemented the CITES ban.