CONFIDENTIAL
This (sill
KONG
1990
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO DESKBY 13010OZ HONG KONG
TELNO 1329
OF 12160OZ JULY 90
TOP COPY QPIST?
269
143276
MDHOAN 2393
PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR FROM PAUL, HKD
201
YOUR TELNO 2149: ALLEGED BREACH OF CITES
THANK YOU FOR THIS HELPFUL ACCOUNT OF THE PRESENT POSITION. IT IS REASSURING TO KNOW THAT HONG KONG'S DETERMINATION TO COMPLY FULLY WITH CITES REQUIREMENTS FROM 17 JULY IS UNDIMINISHED: AND THAT YOU ARE EXAMINING URGENTLY HOW BEST TO CLOSE THE LOOPHOLE THAT EXISTS IN RESPECT OF EXPORTS BY TOURISTS OF WORKED IVORY PERSONAL EFFECTS WEIGHING LESS THAN FIVE KILOS. AS YOU SAY, THIS WOULD BE A BREACH OF ARTICLE VII.3(A) OF THE
CITES REGULATIONS.
2.
I SHALL NEED TO GIVE MINISTERS A SITREP BY THE WEEKEND AND WOULD THEREFORE BE GRATEFUL TO KNOW, DESKBY 13093OZ WHAT CONCLUSIONS HAVE BEEN REACHED ABOUT HOW THE LOOPHOLE IS TO BE CLOSED BY 17 JULY. IT WOULD ALSO BE HELPFUL IF THE RELEVANT LEGAL TEXTS COULD BE FAXED TO US FOR EASE OF REFERENCE.
3
I TAKE IT THAT THE AMENDMENT TO THE EXEMPTION ORDER WOULD COME IMMEDIATELY INTO EFFECT, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER OR NOT LEGCO ASK FOR A DEBATE ON THE AMENDMENT. IT WOULD BE USEFUL TO KNOW WHETHER YOU ENVISAGE ANY DIFFICULTY WITH LEGCO OVER THIS AMENDMENT. (PRESUMABLY THE FACT THAT LEGCO WILL BE IN RECESS WILL MINIMISE THE CHANCES OF THIS.)
4.
AS I MENTIONED IN MY TELNO 1287, THERE HAS BEEN CRITICISM HERE OF WHAT SOME COMMENTATORS HAVE CHOSEN TO INTERPRET AS A DELIBERATE ATTEMPT TO GET ROUND THE CITES RULES. (MR MAUDE WAS ASKED ABOUT IT IN THE HOUSE ON 11 JULY.) THE SECRETARY
OF STATE HAS SUGGESTED THAT THERE SHOULD BE AN INSPIRED PQ BEFORE THE SUMMER RECESS TO SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT. THIS SHOULD ENABLE US TO SAY THAT WITH EFFECT FROM THE WITHDRAWAL OF THE RESERVATION, HONG KONG LEGISLATION FULLY REFLECTS THE CITES CONVENTION, AND EVEN IN ONE INSTANCE EXCEEDING CITES
REQUIREMENTS BY SETTING A LIMIT ON THE WEIGHT OF IVORY WHICH CAN
BE LEGALLY TRADED.
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CONFIDENTIAL
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