07/05/01 | Kimberley Process Meeting Concludes in Moscow

The international diamond industry, represented by the World Diamond Council, welcomes the important progress achieved by the Moscow meetings of the intergovernmental Kimberley Process.
In particular, it applauds the framework for proposed "conflict free" certification on all exports and re-exports of rough diamonds. The WDC endorses fully the work of the Kimberley Process and is dedicated to the eradication of the trade in conflict diamonds. The WDC also supports the recent introduction of key legislation in the United States, which will complement the Kimberley Process. The close cooperation of industry, governments and civil society within the Kimberley Process – as in the US – has been central to the success of the Moscow meetings.

As a significant contribution to the Process, the WDC – on behalf of the entire diamond industry – proposed the introduction of a "chain of warranties", which would require diamond transactions to be accompanied by a declaration that diamonds offered for sale are conflict free.

The WDC called upon the governments participating in the Kimberley Process to strengthen these warranties by legal endorsement, with appropriate and enforceable penalties.

Furthermore, the WDC undertakes to coordinate existing codes of practice within the diamond industry to determine unified standard principles for the trading of diamonds, which will be enshrined in the final report of the Kimberley Process to the United Nations General Assembly.

The international diamond industry, led by WDC Chairman Eli Izhakoff, reaffirms its absolute commitment to the Kimberley Process and places its expertise at the disposal of governments in devising and implementing effective measures to end the immoral trade in conflict diamonds.

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