Print
Email Article
"Talks are due to resume July 14-15 in Saint Petersburg, Russia.
"
Zimbabwe's diamond mining remains a concern but the Kimberley Process watchdog hasn't agreed on how to act because the country is not in a "blood diamond" conflict, an industry leader said Sunday.
The international body failed last week to reach consensus on whether to allow Zimbabwe to resume trade in gems from its Marange fields.
"Right now in Zimbabwe, where we can all agree that the diamond mining that is taking place is a concern, there is no overt conflict and we have a legitimate government," Jonathan Oppenheimer, De Beers executive director, said at the CNN Global Forum.
"And so the Kimberley Process itself is in a very difficult position. It feels like it needs to act. The community wants it to act. We've seen a dialogue within the Kimberley Process system that is looking at ways to act."
The issue deadlocked a Kimberley meeting in Israel last week. Talks are due to resume July 14-15 in Saint Petersburg, Russia.
The international body failed last week to reach consensus on whether to allow Zimbabwe to resume trade in gems from its Marange fields.
"Right now in Zimbabwe, where we can all agree that the diamond mining that is taking place is a concern, there is no overt conflict and we have a legitimate government," Jonathan Oppenheimer, De Beers executive director, said at the CNN Global Forum.
"And so the Kimberley Process itself is in a very difficult position. It feels like it needs to act. The community wants it to act. We've seen a dialogue within the Kimberley Process system that is looking at ways to act."
The issue deadlocked a Kimberley meeting in Israel last week. Talks are due to resume July 14-15 in Saint Petersburg, Russia.
