TNAG-2131-FCO40-3046-Hong-Kong-and-the-ivory-trade-1990 — Page 83

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

TELNO 630

OF 22140OZ MARCH 90

CONFIDENTIAL

IN

1781

114336

MDHOAN 5672

Hrc Bill.

RECEIVED ĮRE

3 0 MAR 1990

TELCON CLARK (ESB)/STONE (HKD): IVORY

1.

WE UNDERSTAND FROM TELECON OR THAT EXCO HAS NOW APPROVED THE INTRODUCTION OF THE BILL TO LEGCO ON 4 APRIL, THAT THE BILL WILL BE GAZETTED ON 23 MARCH AND THAT YOU WILL BE ISSUING AN APPROPRIATE PRESS RELEASE. WE ARE GLAD THAT IT WILL BE POSSIBLE TO INTRODUCE THE BILL TO LEGCO BEFORE THE BUDGET DEBATE BEGINS.

2. AS FAR AS THE PRESS RELEASE IS CONCERNED, YOU MAY WISH TO EXPLAIN WHY YOU ARE ONLY NOW INTRODUCING LEGISLATION (AS OPPOSED TO ADMINISTRATIVE MEASURES) TO GIVE THE DIRECTOR OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES THE LEGAL POWER TO REFUSE

A LICENCE. WE UNDERSTAND THAT THIS HAS NOT BEEN NECESSARY IN THE PAST BECAUSE OF THE SMALL NUMBER OF LICENCES INVOLVED. BUT THE LACK OF LEGISLATION HITHERTO MIGHT BE CRITICISED BY CONSERVATIONISTS AS A REFLECTION ON HONG KONG'S PART TO IMPLEMENT CITES REGULATIONS. WE OBVIOUSLY NEED TO HEAD OFF SUCH COMMENT.

HURD

YYYY

ΜΑΙΝ

20

MINIMAL

HKD

NNNN

DISTRIBUTION

20

MAED

PAGE 1 CONFIDENTIAL