CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELNO 732
OF 04183DZ APRIL 90
CONFIDENTIAL
196
156542
MDHOAN 6496
DIST?
TRY
11 APR 1990
TRY
Taken
FROM HKD
IVORY: STOCKS WITHOUT CITES DOCUMENTATION
1.
FOR SOME TIME WE HAVE BEEN USING YOUR LINE THAT THERE IS NO EVIDENCE THAT THE 116 TONNES WITHOUT CITES DOCUMENTATION WAS IMPORTED ILLEGALLY. YOU HAVE ALSO WRITTEN TO THE WWF STATING THAT THE REASONS FOR THE LACK OF DOCUMENTATION MAY BE THAT: (A) THE IVORY INVOLVED IS PRE-CONVENTION IVORY CIE PRE 1976) (B) THE DOCUMENTATION MAY HAVE BECOME DETATCHED DURING MOVEMENT AROUND HONG KONG
(C) IT COULD BE WORKED IVORY WAS IMPORTED BEFORE HONG KONG INTRODUCED CONTROL OVER WORKED IVORY IMPORTS IN JULY 1988
2. WE HAVE GIVEN PUBLIC ASSURANCES THAT WHATEVER THE REASONS, NO IVORY WITHOUT PROPER CITES DOCUMENTATION WILL BE ALLOWED TO BE EXPORTED FROM HONG KONG.
3. THE SECRETARY OF STATE HAS A NUMBER OF LETTERS IN WHICH HE
WILL NEED TO RESPOND TO ACCUSATIONS THAT THE IVORY IS ILLEGAL. WHILE WE CAN AND WILL REPEAT THE ABOVE, WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE FURTHER REASSURANCE FROM YOU THAT THE COMMENTS ARE VALID. GRATEFUL THEREFORE FOR MORE DETAILED ARGUMENT, FOR INTERNAL USE ONLY IF NECESSARY, ON:
(A) WHY YOU ARE ABLE TO SAY THAT THERE IS NO EVIDENCE TO SHOW THAT THE STOCKS WERE ACQUIRED ILLEGALLY. WHAT EVIDENCE COULD THERE BE EITHER WAY QUERY. IS THERE ANY WAY YOU CAN TELL WHETHER IT IS ILLEGAL QUERY.
(B) SIMPLE FINANCIAL GOOD SENSE WOULD INDICATE THAT STOCKS
ACQUIRED PRE-1976 SHOULD HAVE BEEN WORKED AND EXPORTED YEARS AGO. WHAT MAKES YOU THINK THAT SOME MAY BE PRE 1976 QUERY. IS THERE ANY WAY TO PROVE THIS QUERY. (WE ARE CONSIDERING THAT SUCH INFORMATION WOULD HAVE TO BE USED VERY CAREFULLY IN PUBLIC, SINCE YOU WILL NOT ALLOW SUCH IVORY TO BE EXPORTED).
(C) WHAT EVIDENCE IS THERE THAT DOCUMENTATION HAS BECOME DETATCHED FROM ITS IVORY QUERY. THIS, WE WOULD HAVE THOUGHT,
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