TNAG-2129-FCO40-3044-Hong-Kong-and-the-ivory-trade-1990 — Page 38

CONFIDENTIAL

044454

MDHIAN

92

OF THIS TOTAL SOME 116 TONNES ARE NOT COVERED BY VALID CITES

DOCUMENTATION (FOR THE REASONS EXPLAINED IN PARA 4 OF OUR TELNO 288). NONE OF THIS 116 TONNES MAY, THEREFORE, BE EXPORTED. WE WILL OF COURSE MONITOR THIS STOCK CLOSELY, AND DO ALL WE CAN TO PREVENT ANY OF ITS DISPOSAL BY ILLEGAL EXPORT.

4. THE DISCREPANCY BETWEEN THE FIGURES IN PARAS 2 AND 3 CAN BE

ACCOUNTED FOR BY A COMBINATION OF:-

(A) EXPORTS SINCE DECLARATIONS WERE MADE (ABOUT 50 TONNES):

(B) LOCAL SALES (OF WHICH WE HAVE NO RECORDS):

(C) INACCURATE DECLARATIONS (PARTICULARLY OF CUT PIECES AND SCRAPS): AND

(WE ARE

(D) FAILURE OF SOME TRADERS TO HAVE REGISTERED THEIR STOCKS

PRESENTLY CHECKING THIS AS BEST WE CAN BUT OUR INITIAL VIEW IS THAT NO SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF IVORY IS LIKELY TO BE INVOLVED).

5. THERE WILL INEVITABLY BE CLAIMS THAT THE DISCREPANCY ARISES

BECAUSE MUCH OF THE BALANCE HAS GONE UNDERGROUND AND HAS BEE SPIRITED AWAY. WE CAN ANSWER THESE CLAIMS AS FOLLOWS:-

(A) THE VOLUNTARY DECLARATIONS BY TRADERS WERE, BY THEIR NATURE, APPROXIMATE. OUR INTRODUCTION OF A STATUTORY REQUIREMENT FOR POSSESSION LICENCES HAS, OF COURSE, LED TO FAR MORE CARE BEING TAKEN TO ASCERTAIN ACTUAL HOLDINGS:

(B) DURING THE THREE MONTH PERIOD BETWEEN THE CITES DECISION TO BAN THE IVORY TRADE AND ITS COMING INTO FORCE THERE HAS BEEN NO INCENTIVE FOR IVORY STOCKS TO BE SMUGGLED OUT WE HAVE BEEN ISSUING EXPORT LICENCES ON DEMAND PROVIDED CITES DOCUMENTATION WAS AVAILABLE:

(C) THE DISCREPANCY IS LARGELY IN RESPECT OF CUT PIECES AND SCRAPS - THESE ARE THE LEAST VALUABLE ITEMS AND HENCE THE LEAST LIKELY TO BE SMUGGLED OUT: AND

(D) OUR CUSTOMS SERVICE WHILE EXERCISING GREATER SCRUTINY HAVE DETECTED NO ILLEGAL EXPORT SHIPMENTS OF IVORY IN THE PAST SIX MONTHS.

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