TNAG-2133-FCO40-3048-Hong-Kong-and-the-ivory-trade-1990 — Page 132

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The six month reservation which the UK Government entered on

behalf of Hong Kong to allow it to dispose of its legally

acquired stocks of ivory, was formally withdrawn on 17 July 1990,

and Hong Kong now complies fully with the ban on commercial trade

in ivory agreed at the CITES Conference in October 1989.

A potential loophole in the Hong Kong legislation which would

have allowed visiting tourists to export up to 5kg of ivory from

Hong Kong as personal effects, has been closed.

Hong Kong had already instituted a ban on the import of ivory into the colony and introduced strict controls over the existing

Measures were also taken to

to prevent illegal ivory

entering trade through Hong Kong.

stocks.