TNAG-2131-FCO40-3046-Hong-Kong-and-the-ivory-trade-1990 — Page 20

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NECESSARILY MEAN THAT IT IS ILLEGAL. MOREOVER, WE MUST NOT FORGET THAT THERE ARE STILL 358 TONNES OF IVORY WITH CITES DOCUMENTS.

5. MR. BANKS ALSO SUGGESTED THAT THE STOCKS IN HONG KONG SHOULD BE DESTROYED AND ILGITIMATE TRADERS COMPENSATED, ALONG WITH IVORY CARVERS. IN FACT, HONG KONG'S FIRST RESPONSE TO THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY'S DECISION FOR A TOTAL BAN ON IVORY TRADE WAS TO LOOK FOR AN INTERNATIONAL BUY OUT' FUND WHICH COULD SOLVE HONG KONG'S PROBLEM ONCE AND FOREVER. BUT UNFORTUNATELY, NEITHER CITES PARTIES NOR NGO'S WHO CALLED FOR THE BAN WERE APPARENTLY WILLING TO

SHOULDER THE RESPONSIBILITY RESULTING FROM THEIR DECISION, OR TO ASSIST HONG KONG IN SOLVING THE IVORY PROBLEM. THE IVORY TRADERS AND WORKERS ARE, INCIDENTALLY, STILL PRESSING FOR COMPENSATION BUT WE HAVE MADE IT CLEAR THAT THERE IS NO CASE FOR THE PUBLIC PURSE TO COMPENSATE THOSE WHO ARE AFFECTED BY AN INTERNATIONAL DECISION.

6. AS MENTIONED IN OUR TELNO 1011, THE SIX-MONTH RESERVATION ENTERED ON HONG KONG'S BEHALF IS FOR HONG KONG TRADERS TO DISPOSE

OF THE EXISTING LEGAL STOCKS IN AN ORDERLY MANNER AND FOR RETRAINING AND ALTERNATIVE EMPLOYMENT OF WORKERS TO BE ARRANGED. AS MENTIONED IN OUR TELNO 661, OUR LEGAL STOCKS ARE LARGE, OUR POTENTIAL MARKETS SMALL AND OUR CUSTOMS SERVICES VIGILANT, THEREFORE HONG KONG IS MOST UNLIKELY TO BE AN ATTRACTIVE DESTINATION FOR SMUGGLED IVORY. THE SUGGESTED LINK BETWEEN THE RESERVATION AND THE CONTINUED POACHING IN KENYA MAKES ABSOLUTELY NO SENSE AT ALL. EVEN RICHARD LEAKEY IS ON RECORD AS SAYING THAT THE

BAN HAS RESULTED IN A DROP IN POACHED IVORY PRICES FROM USD 60 TO

USD 3 A KILO.

7.

THE 6-MONTH RESERVATION PERIOD IS IN FACT A MEASURE OF LAST RESORT AND THE MINIMUM PERIOD NECESSARY TO SMOOTH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A BAN ON COMMERCIAL IVORY TRADE IN HONG KONG. IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE THIS WITH THE LEAST HUMAN SUFFERING AND LEAST RESISTANCE, A BREATHING SPACE IS NECESSARY. THERE IS CONSIDERABLE PUBLIC SYMPATHY IN HONG KONG FOR THE PLIGHT OF WORKERS, PARTICULARLY MANY ELDER WORKERS, WHOSE LIVELIHOOD IS ADVERSELY AFFECTED. USING THIS GRADUAL' APPROACH WE HAVE SUCCESSFULLY TERMINATED THE TRADE IN MEDICINES CLAIMING TO CONTAIN RHINO INGREDIENT. WE ARE CONVINCED THAT THE TEMPORARY RESPITE OFFERED BY THE RESERVATION WILL DO MUCH TO SECURE THE LEGISLATURE AND THE COMMUNITY'S SUPPORT OF THE BAN ON COMMERCIAL TRADE IN IVORY WHICH

WILL COME INTO FORCE ON 17 JULY 1990.

WILSON

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