TNAG-2132-FCO40-3047-Hong-Kong-and-the-ivory-trade-1990 — Page 22

Hel Britannic Majesty's Embassy present their compliments to the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs and have the honour to refer

to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of

Wild Fauna and Flora, opened for signature at Washington on 3 March

1973.

The seventh Conference of the Parties held in Lausanne in October

1989 proposed certain amendments to the Appendices which will come

into force for all Parties to the Convention on 18 January 1990.

In accordance with the provisions of paragraph 3 of Article XV of

the Convention, the Government of the United Kingdom of Great

Britain and Northern Ireland hereby enter a reservation, on behalf

of Hong Kong, with respect to the amendment of the Convention

providing for the listing of the African elephant, Loxodonta

Africana, cn Appendix I of the Convention.

The Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern

Ireland wish to make clear to the Government of the Swiss

Confederation that this reservation will remain in force for a

period of six months only from 13 January 1990, and that they will

apply the Convention to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and

Northern Ireland and to the British Dependent Territories with the sole exception of Hong Kong. The Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland also wish to make it clear that imports of ivory into Hong Kong have been, and will continue to be, prohibited and that only ivory currently held legally in Hong Kong will be permitted to be re-exported during the period of the reservation.

Her Britannic Majesty's Embassy avail themselves of this opportunity to renew to the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs the assurance of their highest consideration.

British Embassy, Berne

17 January 1990