TNAG-2131-FCO40-3046-Hong-Kong-and-the-ivory-trade-1990 — Page 65

CONFIDENTIAL

110667

MDLIAN 8414

CONFIDENTIAL

FM WASHINGTON

TO ROUTINE FCO

TELNO 666

OF 211944Z MARCH 90

AND TO ROUTINE HONG KONG

INFO ROUTINE NAIROBI, PEKING, OTTAWA, UKMIS NEW YORK, EC POSTS

AFRICAN ELEPHANT IVORY: HONG KONG RESERVATION TO CITES BAN:

CONGRESSIONAL INTEREST

SUMMARY

1. TWO CONGRESSMEN EXPRESS CONCERN ABOUT THE RESERVATION ON

CITES FOR HONG KONG. REASSURED BY OUR EXPLANATION OF THE POSITION. DRAFT LEGISLATION MAINLY AIMED AT CHINA, UNDER

CONSIDERATION ON THE HILL DESIGNED TO RESTRICT US IMPORTS FROM

COUNTRIES INVOLVED IN ILLEGAL TRADING IN IVORY.

DETAIL

2. REPRESENTATIVES JACK FIELDS (D-TEXAS) AND ANTHONY BEILENSON (D-CALIFORNIA) ASKED FOR A MEETING WITH ME ON 14 MARCH TO EXPRESS CONCERN ABOUT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT'S RESERVATION, ON BEHALF OF THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT, TO THE LISTING OF THE AFRICAN ELEPHANT IN APPENDIX ONE OF CITES. FIELDS' LOCUS

DERIVES FROM HIS MEMBERSHIP OF THE RELEVANT SUB COMMITTEE OF THE

MERCHANT MARINE AND FISHERIES COMMITTEE OF THE HOUSE, WHICH HAS

JURISDICTION OVER PRESERVATION OF WILDLIFE. BEILENSON ALSO

TAKES AN INTEREST IN WILDLIFE CONSERVATION. BOTH ATTENDED THE

CITES CONFERENCE IN 1988. FIELDS HAS VISITED A NUMBER OF AFRICAN COUNTRIES IN THIS CONTEXT.

3.

THE CONGRESSMEN'S MAIN CONCERN WAS THAT THE RESERVATION FOR HONG KONG COULD PROVIDE A MAJOR LOOPHOLE FOR CONTINUED ILLEGAL TRADING IN ELEPHANT IVORY, PARTICULARLY TO CHINA AND KOREA. I EXPLAINED THAT THE RESERVATION WAS FOR 6 MONTHS ONLY AND WOULD

NOT BE RENEWED, AND ASSURED THEM OF THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT'S COMMITMENT TO SAVING THE AFRICAN ELEPHANT. I ALSO EXPLAINED THE LICENSING ARRANGEMENTS IN HONG KONG, EMPHASISING THAT THEY WERE

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