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afrol News, 29 May - The office of the Norwegian Prime Minister has admitted that the tusks given the PM as official gifts from South Africa, Mozambique and Nigeria in February 2000 have been imported illegally. Norwegian PM Kjell Magne Bondevik may face charges for ivory smuggling. On a roundtrip on the African continent, Mr. and Mrs. Bondevik received several official gifts from their hosts. In Nigeria, they were given two tusks and a jar decorated with ivory by the Nigerian Parliament. In South Africa, Mrs. Bondevik was given two purses made of snake hide by President Thabo Mbeki. The couple further received a carved ivory jar from President Joachim Chissano when visiting Mozambique. The import and export of these materials is prohibited by international law, based on the CITES convention on trade with endangered species. The Norwegian PM first excused himself saying he had not even seen or opened the presents when receiving them. Only the Mozambican jar - also the only present the Bondevik family has taken home - was revealed to them on African soil. The tusks and purses were opened in a storage room and have remained there until now. After the Norwegian Directorate for Nature Management reacted to the illegal imports, the PM's office however has admitted it should have had better routines on receiving and importing gifts. The gifts have now been handed over to Customs. The trade in ivory has been prohibited since 1975 unless it is documented that the tusks in question are over 25 years of age. This is not the case for the ivory given Mr. and Mrs. Bondevik by their African hosts. Imports contrary to the CITES convention normally are reported to the police. Although such cases in Norway mostly are based in the ignorance of the smuggler, they usually are heavily fined (around US$ 1,200). Greenpeace Norway has demanded the Norwegian PM should get the strongest possible punishment based on the symbolic importance of the case. Also the Directorate for Nature Management has made strong statements saying Mr. Bondevik is responsible of smuggling and therefore should face charges. The scandal was disclosed by the Norwegian Internet newspaper Nettavisen.no.
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