“This plenary provides the final platform and meeting of another 3-year reform cycle. We urge all participants to constructively work toward reaching a conclusion on all reform areas. ”
“On Scope, I want to thank the chair of the sub-group and all those who actively contributed to seeking a way forward on this. In our view, it is self-evident that the KP must expand the conflict diamond definition. The KP cannot claim to stop conflict diamonds and issue certificates that guarantee the conflict-free provenance of stones without defining what conflict is. It cannot claim to be a conflict prevention tool without adequate measures to stop diamonds from funding violence and conflict. Today, it is failing to do this, and thereby it is open to abuse by those seeking to lubricate all kinds of illicit, violent and criminal operations. So any participating state that still seeks to obstruct discussions during this make or break moment for the KP, is not just escaping its responsibilities. It is wilfully seeking to keep in place this self-destructive loophole of the KP. They will be held accountable for that.”
Our proposals to make the KP work are straightforward. The bottom bar should be stopping major cases of serious violence across rough diamond supply chains, irrespective of the perpetrator or context in which these occur.”
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