TNAG-2132-FCO40-3047-Hong-Kong-and-the-ivory-trade-1990 — Page 97

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office present their compliments to the Embassy of Switzerland 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, on 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 18 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.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office avail themselves of this opportunity to renew to the Embassy of Switzerland the assurance of their highest consideration

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

17 January 1990

COMMONWEALT

FOREIGN AND

LONDON

OFFICE