TNAG-2131-FCO40-3046-Hong-Kong-and-the-ivory-trade-1990 — Page 33

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

TELNO 703

OF 30190OZ MARCH 90

HONG KONG: IVORY

CONFIDENTIAL

HKC ISI

RECE

- 2 APR 1990

DESK OFFICE

INDEX

143060

MDHOAN 6282

191

CHING!

I

1. WE ARE FAXING TO RICHARDSON, ESB THE TEXT OF A STATEMENT MADE BY MR TONY BANKS MP DURING THE EASTER ADJOURNMENT DEBATE ABOUT HONG KONG'S IVORY STOCKS. THE STATEMENT IS HIGHLY CRITICAL OF THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT'S HANDLING OF THIS ISSUE.

2. MR BANKS CLAIMS THAT THE HONG KONG AUTHORITIE MISLED HMG ABOUT THE LEVEL OF LEGAL IVORY STOCKS HELD IN HONG KONG AND THAT HMG IN TURN MISLED THE HOUSE ABOUT THE TRUE POSITION. REFERRING TO EARLIER MINISTERIAL STATEMENTS THAT THERE WERE 670 TONNES OF LEGALLY ACQUIRED IVORY IN HONG KONG, MR BANKS ALLEGES THAT QUOTE IT IS NOW CLEAR THAT THE HONG KONG AUTHORITIES LIED TO THE GOVERNMENT OR THAT THEY WERE SO INEFFICIENT ABOUT KNOWING WHICH OF THE IVORY WAS LEGAL AND WHICH WAS ILLEGAL, THAT THEIR WORD IS HARDLY WORTH BELIEVING ANY MORE UNQUOTE.

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3. MR BANKS GOES ON TO ALLEGE THAT THE HONG KONG MEMBERS OF THE UK DELEGATION STATED AT THE CITES CONFERENCE THAT ONLY 47 TONNES (7 PERCENT) OF THE IVORY STOCKS HAD NO CITES DOCUMENTATION. HE QUOTES THE HONG KONG REPRESENTATIVE AS SAYING QUOTE WE KNOW THE EXTENT OF OUR STOCKS BECAUSE THEY ARE SUBJECT TO STRICT CONTROL UNQUOTE. MR BANKS CLAIMS THAT BECAUSE IT HAS NOW EMERGED THAT 116 TONNES HAVE NO CITES DOCUMENTATION, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO SAY WITH ANY ASSURANCE THAT THEY WERE NOT ILLEGALLY ACQUIRED.

4. MR BANKS CONCLUDES BY CALLING FOR THE IMMEDIATE WITHDRAWAL OF THE RESERVATION AND THE DESTRUCTION OF ALL IVORY STOCKS IN HONG KONG.

HURD

YYYY

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CONFIDENTIAL