Dear Professor Congjie,

Thank you very much for your letter of 6 October about the protection of the Tibetan antelope and the Shahtoosh trade.

I fully share your revulsion over the illegal slaughter of the antelopes, and your concern about the future of the species. I will certainly bring your request to the attention of the environmental authorities in the UK and the European Union. I hope that it will be possible to put an end to this illegal trade.

I should like to wish you every success in your important work of protecting the environment in China.

Yours Sincerely

Tony Blair