After failing to reach a consensus on whether to allow Zimbabwe to resume trading diamonds from its Marange mines, the World Diamond Council has called for all parties involved in the Kimberley Process to continue “productive dialogue”.
Speaking after last week’s failed Kimberley Process intersessional meeting in Tel Aviv, World Diamond Council president Eli Izhakoff acknowledged there was “disappointment” that consensus agreement could not be reached and asked all Kimberley Process stakeholders to redouble their efforts to bring about a solution “acceptable to all”.
“The Kimberley Process will continue to pay dividends if we keep our eyes on the ball, and in the case of Zimbabwe that means monitoring carefully what is happening in Marange,” he said.
“We will not rest until this diamond producing area is operating for the benefit of all the country’s citizens.”
Kimberley Process talks are due to resume next month in St Petersburg, Russia.
Meanwhile Reuters has published a report quoting Zimbabwe mines minister Obert Mpofu as saying Zimbabwe will sell diamonds without Kimberley certification.