TNAG-2129-FCO40-3044-Hong-Kong-and-the-ivory-trade-1990 — Page 82

CONF IDENT IAL

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Haree towa

responsibility both for announcing the decision and for subsequent press handling to the FCO. Mr Trippier has telephoned Mr Maude about this twice today. It is clear from these conversations that

Mr Patten considers that the announcement should be made by the FCO,

although Mr Trippier conceded that we would have to play subsequent

media interest by ear. Mr Trippier suggested that we could make the

announcement in answer to a PQ on this subject already tabled by

Mr Tony Banks MP for answer by Department of the Environment

Ministers, which they could get transferred to us. Mr Maude

resisted this suggestion and suggested to Mr Trippier that the story

the media were likely to run was that of a split between Mr Patten

and Mr Hurd and that if the Department of the Environment did not

defend the announcement, this was likely to reinforce the impression

of a split. Mr Trippier said that Mr Patten would want to discuss this question with the Secretary of State tomorrow.

5. We need to enter the reservation tomorrow in order to be

absolutely sure of meeting the CITES deadline which stipulates that

any reservation must be entered "by 18 January 1990". This will be

done by means of a third person note from HMA Berne to the Swiss

MFA, which he will be instructed to deliver at 1000z tomorrow. The

Department of the Environment will then send a copy of this note by

telex to the CITES Secretariat and MAED will arrange for a copy to

be delivered to the Swiss Embassy here. There might be advantage in

announcing the decision tomorrow rather than on 18 January since the

news that we have entered a reservation is likely to leak from the

CITES Secretariat as soon as they have been notified of our

decision.

6.

I submit a draft guidance telegram to posts, including the draft press line, which was drafted by MAED in consultation with HKD and

News Department and has been cleared with the Department of the

Environment. The telegram should issue tomorrow. We are seeking

comments from the Hong Kong Government overnight.

Rosalind Mand

R M Marsden

CONFIDENTIAL