TNAG-2131-FCO40-3046-Hong-Kong-and-the-ivory-trade-1990 — Page 77

ANNEX C

STANDARD LETTER

Thank you for referring to me a letter from your constituent

about the Government's decision to allow Hong Kong a

further six weeks to trade its stocks of legally-acquired ivory.

Hong Kong is committed to comply in full with the ban on all

international commercial trade in ivory introduced by the Convention

on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora

(CITES) on 18 January. Hong Kong has traditionally been a major

ivory trading centre and has large stocks of legally-acquired ivory.

The Reservation, which we entered on 18 January, is designed to give

the territory a reasonable period in which to adjust to the ban by

allowing traders to dispose of these stocks in an orderly fashion

and enabling the 3,000 carvers and workers to find alternative

employment. The Reservation is for six months only and will not be

renewed. Hong Kong has already imposed a ban on all imports of

ivory, which will ensure that there is no loophole for the entry of

illegal ivory onto the market.

The Hong Kong Government are in the process of enacting

legislation to ensure that the CITES ban is in force when we

withdraw the reservation on 18 July 1990. The legislative process is well on schedule. A draft enacting bill was approved by the

Executive Council on 20 March and will be introduced into the

Legislative Council on 4 April. The legislation will come into force when our reservation expires.

The Hong Kong Government have taken various measures to deter illegal trading and to enhance controls over existing stocks. A special Customs task force has been created to investigate and

suppress any illegal trade through Hong Kong and maximum fines for violating legislation on endangered species have been increased 5-fold, accompanied by confiscation of illegal consignments.

NITABZ