TNAG-2129-FCO40-3044-Hong-Kong-and-the-ivory-trade-1990 — Page 77

CONFIDENTIAL

0 $76

MDHOAN 1278

TASK FORCE: INCREASING 5-FOLD THE FINE FOR ILLEGAL TRADING: THE EXTENSION OF THE SYSTEM OF MARKING AND REGISTRATION TO DETECT ILLEGAL MOVEMENT OF IVORY: THE INTRODUCTION OF POSSESSION LICENCES FOR HOLDING OF STOCK MORE THAN 5KG: THE INTRODUCTION OF

EXPORT LICENCES.

(G) WHERE WILL HONG KONG'S IVORY GO?

-

- TO COUNTRIES NOT PARTY TO CITES OR WHICH HAVE NOT ACCEPTED CITES BAN. BUT LICENCES WILL NOT BE GRANTED FOR EXPORTS TO COUNTRIES WHICH HAVE IMPLEMENTED THE BAN.

(H) WHAT GUARANTEE THAT RESERVATION WILL BE WITHDRAWN IN SIX

MONTHS' TIME?

THE UK WILL NOT EXTEND RESERVATION BEYOND SIX MONTHS.

(I) HAS UK PREVIOUSLY ENTERED RESERVATION UNDER CITES

-

YES. IN FEBRUARY 1977 UK ENTERED LIMITED RESERVATION ON BEHALF OF HONG KONG ON LISTING OF AFRICAN ELEPHANT ON APPENDIX II

OF CITES. RESERVATION WAS WITHDRAWN IN JUNE 1978.

(J) CONTRADICTION WITH UK VOTE IN FAVOUR OF APPENDIX I LISTING AT

LAUSANNE CONFERENCE

NO. UK SUPPORTS RE-LISTING OF AFRICAN ELEPHANT ONTO APPENDIX

I OF CITES AND VOTED FOR IT AT LAUSANNE. BUT WE DID NOT VOTE IN FAVOUR OF A BAN ON TRADE IN EXISTING STOCKS: INSTEAD WE ABSTAINED

ON BEHALF OF HONG KONG.

(K) WHY SO LATE IN ENTERING RESERVATION

CONSULTATION PROCESS WITHIN WHITEHALL AND WITH HONG KONG A LENGTHY ONE. HAD TO BE SURE BEFORE ENTERING A RESERVATION THAT

NO OTHER ALTERNATIVE EXISTED.

(L) SPLIT BETWEEN FCO AND DOE

NO. FCO, DOE AND HONG KONG ALL SHARE THE SAME COMMITMENT TO THE PRESERVATION OF THE AFRICAN ELEPHANT. BELIEVE THAT THIS INTERIM ARRANGEMENT WILL BEST ENSURE THAT HONG KONG CAN COMPLY

WITH A BAN ON TRADE IN SIX MONTHS' TIME.

BACKGROUND

4.

ENDANGERED SPECIES OF WILD FAUNA AND

THE UNITED KINGDOM IS A PARTY TO THE CONVENTION ON

INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN FLORA, KNOWN AS CITES. THE SEVENTH CONFERENCE OF THE CONTRACTING

PARTIES TO CITES TOOK PLACE IN LAUSANNE FROM 9-20 OCTOBER 1989.

THE MAJOR ISSUE UNDER DISCUSSION WAS THE PROPOSED RE-LISTING OF

THE AFRICAN ELEPHANT, LOXODONTA AFRICANA, FROM APPENDIX II CON WHICH IT HAD BEEN LISTED IN 1977) TO APPENDIX I (IE A BAN ON

COMMERCIAL TRADE). THE PROPONENTS MAINTAINED THAT WITHOUT A WORLDWIDE BAN THE AFRICAN ELEPHANT, ALREADY DECIMATED IN EAST AFRICAN COUNTRIES SUCH AS KENYA AND TANZANIA, WOULD FACE EXTINCTION. THIS WAS OPPOSED BY SOUTHERN AFRICAN STATES, LED BY ZIMBABWE AND BOTSWANA, WHO ARGUED THAT THE SOLUTION WAS ELEPHANT

PAGE

2

CONFIDENTIAL