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DEBATE ON THE MOTION FOR THE SUMMER ADJOURNMENT
W
HONG KONG IVORY
isti
Line to Take
The six month Reservation which we entered on 18 January on
behalf of Hong Kong against the CITES worldwide ban on
commercial trading in ivory was withdrawn on 18 July.
Legislation implementing the ban in Hong Kong came into
force on 17 July and Hong Kong now complies fully with CITES ontrade in African elephant ivory. The export of ivory under 5 kgs which is a personal possession of a Hong Kong
resident leaving the Territory is exempted under CITES but
tourist souvenirs are not.
IF PRESSED
We have seen no evidence that the Reservation led to
increased poaching in East Africa. Indeed, as Dr Leahey,
the Head of the Kenya Wildlife Service, pointed out in
March, the lack of world markets has forced the price of raw ivory down to a level where poaching is not worthwhile. Hong Kong of course had banned imports of ivory as for back
as June 1989.
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