TNAG-2132-FCO40-3047-Hong-Kong-and-the-ivory-trade-1990 — Page 169

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FM FCO

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

TELNO 827

OF 20180OZ APRIL 90

199

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Hhic 151/1 isili

10 MAY 130

205

021732

MDHOAN 7360

B

COPY

FROM HKD

YOUR TELNO 1099: IVORY PQS

1. WE AGREE THAT PQS 1723 AND 1737 RAISE QUESTIONS OF A COMMERCIAL NATURE AND THAT IT WOULD NOT BE APPROPRIATE FOR US TO DISCLOSE THIS INFORMATION.

2. BUT OUR LEGAL ADVISERS ARE NOT SURE WHETHER WE CAN TO TAKE THE SAME LINE ON PQS 1722 AND 1725: THESE QUESTIONS RELATE TO THE CONTROL MECHANISMS YOU HAVE INSTITUTED AND THE INFORMATION SOUGHT

MAY NOT BE PURELY COMMERCIAL IN NATURE. BEFORE TAKING A FIRM VIEW, HOWEVER, WE WOULD BE GRATEFUL IF YOU COULD LET US KNOW:

(A) ON WHAT LEGISLATIVE BASIS THE INFORMATION WAS SOUGHT

AND RECORDED. MAY WE SEE A COPY OF THE RELEVANT ORDINANCE OR SUBORDINATE LEGISLATION QUERY.

(B)

WHETHER THE INFORMATION WAS GIVEN IN CONFIDENCE.

(C) WHETHER THE INFORMATION IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC IN HONG KONG.

3. IF THE INFORMATION WAS GIVEN PURSUANT TO A CONTROL MEASURE AND WAS NOT GIVEN IN CONFIDENCE, WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO REFUSE TO REVEAL IT IN ANSWER TO A PARLIAMENTARY QUESTION.

4.

HURD

GRATEFUL FOR A REPLY DESKBY 23090OZ.

YYYY

1

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