TNAG-2129-FCO40-3044-Hong-Kong-and-the-ivory-trade-1990 — Page 78

CONFIDENTIAL

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MDHOAN 1278

MANAGEMENT AND CONTROLLED CULLING. THE CONFERENCE VOTED, BY 76 TO 11 WITH 4 ABSTENTIONS, IN FAVOUR OF RE-LISTING ON APPENDIX I. THE UK, TOGETHER WITH OUR EC PARTNERS, VOTED IN FAVOUR OF THIS PROPOSAL.

6.

5. THE CONFERENCE ALSO DISCUSSED PROPOSALS TO ALLOW CONTINUED TRADE IN EXISTING IVORY STOCKS, OF IMMENSE IMPORTANCE TO HONG KONG, WHICH HAS THE LARGEST STOCKPILE IN THE WORLD (SOME 600 TONNES OF IVORY, WORTH APPROXIMATELY ?80M). THIS IVORY WAS LEGALLY IMPORTED UNDER CITES PROCEDURES. THE HONG KONG IVORY INDUSTRY EMPLOYS SOME 3,000 PEOPLE. HONG KONG, AS A DEPENDENT TERRITORY, IS NOT SEPARATELY A PARTY TO CITES BUT WAS REPRESENTED ON THE UK DELEGATION TO LAUSANNE. THE CONFERENCE WAS NOT HOWEVER CONVINCED BY THEIR PRESENTATION OF HONG KONG'S CASE FOR CONTINUED

TRADE AND VOTED BY A LARGE MAJORITY AGAINST CONTINUED TRADE. ONLY 6 COUNTRIES VOTED IN FAVOUR AND THREE ABSTAINED, INCLUDING THE UK ON BEHALF OF HONG KONG AND PORTUGAL ON BEHALF OF MACAO.

THE AMENDMENTS AGREED AT LAUSANNE COME INTO FORCE ON 18 JANUARY. UNTIL THEN, ANY PARTY TO CITES CAN, UNDER THE TERMS OF ARTICLE XV OF CITES ENTER A RESERVATION EXEMPTING ITSELF FROM ANY RE-LISTING. IN THE LIGHT OF THE DECISION TO BAN TRADE IN

EXISTING STOCKS THE HONG KONG AUTHORITIES ASKED HMG TO ENTER A

SIX-MONTH RESERVATION AGAINST THE APPENDIX I LISTING TO GIVE

THEM MORE TIME TO DISPOSE LEGALLY OF THEIR STOCKPILE (TO COUNTRIES NOT PARTY TO CITES OR WHICH HAVE ALSO ENTERED RESERVATIONS.) WE AGREED TO DO SO AND ON 17 JANUARY TOOK ACTION WITH THE CITES DEPOSITARY GOVERNMENT, SWITZERLAND, IN BERNE AND LONDON. WE HAVE ALSO INFORMED THE CITES SECRETARIAT DIRECTLY OF

OUR DECISION. WE MAVE MADE IT CLEAR THAT THE RESERVATION WILL LAST FOR SIX MONTHS ONLY (FROM 18 JANUARY) AND THAT WE DO NOT

CONSIDER IT TO APPLY TO THE UNITED KINGDOM OR ANY DEPENDENT TERRITORY OTHER THAN HONG KONG. FURTHERMORE, THE PROHIBITION ON IMPORTS OF NEW IVORY INTO HONG KONG, INTRODUCED IN JUNE 1989, WILL REMAIN IN FORCE.

HURD

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