Summary: European Commission Lauds Liberia's "Remarkable Progress" Towards Preventing Trade in Conflict Diamonds (13 April 2007: New York)
Speaking on behalf of the European Commission (EC), which chairs the Kimberley Process (KP) this year, Alyson King today will brief the UN Security Council Liberia Sanctions Committee. Ms King will present the findings of an expert team sent to assess Liberia's controls on diamond production and trade.
This briefing is to assist the Security Council in its decision next week whether to lift or retain the current embargo on Liberian rough diamonds.
The Kimberley Process team, which was led by the European Commission, visited Liberia from 5th-9th March 2007 to inspect the controls put in place by Liberia to keep conflict diamonds out.
The team concluded that Liberia's controls meet and, in some respects, exceed Kimberley Process requirements.
Karel Kovanda, KP Chairman, said "The Kimberley Process is greatly encouraged to see the remarkable progress made by Liberia in re-establishing control over its natural resources. Liberia's Kimberley-compliant system should help to turn the page on its history of conflict diamonds, and allow its diamonds to serve development instead. The Kimberley Process is committed to working closely with Liberia to ensure its successful membership."
The Kimberley Process is a UN-endorsed scheme to eliminate conflict diamonds from world trade. It currently has 45 members representing 71 countries (the EC being a single participant), and includes all major diamond-producing and trading countries.
For more information on the EC's chairmanship of the Kimberley Process, please visit:
http://www.europa-eu-un.org/articles/en/article_6654_en.htm
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