ANNEX A
Prime Minister
No 10 Downing Street
London SW1
HONG KONG: IVORY
CONFIDENTIAL
Our decision to enter on behalf of Hong Kong a six month
reservation on the CITES ban on all commercial trade in ivory has provoked some criticism in this country. You might therefore appreciate an account of the present position and in particular of the progress Hong Kong is making in introducing legislation to implement the ban before the reservation expires on 17 July.
The legislative process is on schedule. A draft enacting Bill
was presented to the Executive Council on 20 March and is due to be
introduced into the Legislative Council on 4 April, with a view to
enactment in early May. In order to give legal backing to the CITES
ban, the Animals and Plants (Protection of Endangered Species)
Ordinance is being amended to provide that the Director of
Agriculture and Fisheries shall not issue any further import and
export licences for commercial trade in ivory and other highly
endangered species. The Legal Advisers at the Department of the
Environment have already seen a copy of the legislation in draft.
The legislation will come into effect when the reservation expires.
The Hong Kong Government do not expect any serious opposition to the Bill. The fact that we acceded to Hong Kong's request to
enter a six-month reservation on their behalf should undoubtedly
help significantly to ease the passage of the legislation through the Legislative Council.
In the meantime the Hong Kong Government have been taking
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