Maravi

(NEWZIMBABWE) Countries back Zim on Marange diamonds

Countries back Zim on Marange diamonds
by Staff Reporter
06/11/2010 00:00:00

CHINA, Russian, India and South Africa are among the countries backing Zimbabwe’s decision to go ahead with the massive export of rough diamonds mined from Marange despite the stand-off at the Kimberly Process plenary meetings held in Israel.

Despite four days of meetings in Jerusalem, the 75-nation Kimberley Process was unable to reach agreement on whether to allow exports of Zimbabwe’s diamonds, which could represent up to 25 per cent of the world’s diamond exports within the next two years.

The United States, Canada, Australia along with European representatives opposed Zimbabwe’s bid to export its diamonds freely on world markets and since the system requires a unanimous agreement, no deal was possible.

However, Mines Minister Obert Mpofu, who led Zimbabwe’s delegation, declared that exports would resume immediately nonetheless.

“Like I have said before and I would like to say it again — Zimbabwe is going to proceed with the exports of its diamonds immediately because it has met the KP minimum requirements as confirmed by the review mission and the KP monitor.

“I have consulted my superiors in Harare and this is our position and it’s not going to change,” he said.

Sources at the meeting told The Herald that the announcement received applause from the audience and was immediately endorsed by South Africa, Namibia and Brazil which all said they supported Zimbabwe’s exports as the country had met KP minimum requirements.

The country also has the backing of India, China, Russia and most African countries.

Meanwhile Mpofu slammed the politicization of the Kimberly Process and what he described as US attempts to bully Zimbabwe at the plenary.

“We have been treated very unfairly by Kimberly process … as if we don’t matter in this organisation. In a civilised world that we live in, surely countries must recuse themselves on issues where they are conflicted.

“The United States has imposed sanctions and at the same time, it wants to come in here and dictate what Kimberley should do about Zimbabwe. Colleagues, this is not fair,” said an emotionally charged Minister Mpofu.

He said the arrogance of powers like the United States was a threat to the Kimberly Process.

The Marange diamonds are one of the richest discoveries in decades, and Zimbabwe could become the world’s biggest diamond producer.

But human rights organisations claim that hundreds of people have been killed or beaten by Zimbabwe’s military and police as they seized control of the diamonds.

The Zimbabwe government dismisses the allegations and local analysts say the West is concerned that open trade of the diamonds might render irrelevant sanctions imposed on the country.

The government says it needs the revenue from the diamonds to fund the country’s recovery from decades of economic decline which President Robert Mugabe’s Zanu PF party blames on the sanctions.

Labels: KIMBERLEY PROCESS, MARANGE DIAMOND FIELDS, NEOCOLONIALISM, OBERT MPOFU

posted by MrK @ 3:38 AM