Council calls for controls to prevent trade in conflict diamonds

Council calls for controls to prevent trade in conflict diamonds Windhoek - The World Diamond Council on Thursday called on members at the Kimberley Process meeting in the Namibian capital to tighten controls to curb the trade of so-called conflict diamonds.

The Kimberley Process, which was implemented in 2003, requires diamond-producing countries to have controls in place certifying shipments of rough diamonds as "conflict-free."

The meeting of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) in Windhoek takes place as pressure mounts on the body to effectively act on its mission to combat the trade of conflict diamonds.

Council director Andrew Bone said stricter measures were needed to stop diamond smuggling. "We require participants in the KP (Kimberley Process) to improve internal controls and increase collaboration and enforcement efforts to eliminate the scourge of conflict diamonds from the global diamond trade," he said.

Bone called on governments to "take swift action when faced with cases of non-compliance and to agree on interim suspension" where needed.

There have been allegations that diamonds from Zimbabwe, a member of the Kimberley Process, are used to pay for armed conflict. A special team is to travel to Zimbabwe after the session ends Friday, to assess the country's progress in complying with the Kimberley Process.

On Wednesday, Zimbabwe's deputy minister of mines, M Zwizwai, said his country did not trade in "blood diamonds."

"Conflict diamonds are diamonds used by rebel movements or their allies to finance conflict aimed at undermining legitimate governments," he said. "There is no armed conflict in Zimbabwe."

Civil society groups have raised questions about the ability of the Kimberley Process to deal with the smuggling of diamonds in countries like Brazil, Ivory Coast, Venezuela, Zimbabwe and Guinea.(dpa)