U.S. industry and government leaders prep for KP plenary

by eyetee | October 4, 2010 12:00 am

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Members of the U.S. diamond and jewellery industry gathered at the State Department in Washington, D.C., to discuss the state of the Kimberley Process (KP) ahead of next month’s plenary in Jerusalem.

U.S. policy on the certification of rough diamond exports from the controversial Marange fields in Zimbabwe dominated the discussion. The meeting also looked at prospects for reworking the KP’s structure and operation.

Jose W. Fernandez, assistant secretary of state for economic, energy and business affairs, chaired the meeting. Deputy Assistant Secretaries of State Robert Cekuta from Economic, Energy and Business Affairs, Susan Page from African Affairs, and Dan Baer from Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, also attended the gathering.

Moshe Mosbacher, president of the Diamond Dealers Club (DDC) of New York, praised the U.S. government’s commitment to ensuring the KP’s effectiveness and maintaining consumer confidence.

“The degree to which the current U.S. administration is engaged in the Kimberley Process is most evident,” Mosbacher said. “Assistant Secretary Fernandez is planning to attend the KP plenary in Jerusalem, and that will be the highest level U.S. representation at such an event ever since the very early days of the Kimberley Process.

“We most certainly welcome the readiness of the State Department to consult with the membership of our country’s diamond and jewellery sectors. Our position is steadfast. The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme is the most effective means available for preventing the infiltration of conflict diamonds into the legitimate chain of distribution, and it needs to be defended steadfastly.”

Source URL: https://www.jewellerybusiness.com/news/us-industry-and-government-leaders-prep-for-kp-plenary/

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