Africa: Controversial KPCS Proposal Shot Down

Washington DC — AFRICAN and Asian members of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme yesterday shot down a controversial proposal to place the grouping under the control of Western think tanks with strong military links. On a day of swift drama at the State Department, the venue of the KPCS inter-sessional meeting, a proposal by the United States to redefine conflict diamonds was also strongly rejected by African and Asian members.

The KPCS, formed in 2003 to prevent the use of rough diamonds to fund rebel movements, has no full-time secretariat.

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