The Hindu Business Line : ‘India committed to curb flow of conflict diamonds’

New Delhi, June 17 India is deeply committed to the objective of the Kimberly Process Certificate Scheme (KPCS), designed to stem the flow of conflict diamonds—rough diamonds used by rebel movements to finance wars against legitimate governments.

Certifying shipments

Addressing the fifth inter-session meeting of KPCS here, the Commerce Secretary, Mr Gopal K. Pillai, said, KPCS imposes extensive requirements on its 48 members, representing 74 countries (with the European Union and its member countries counted as an individual participant) to enable them to certify shipments of rough diamonds as ‘conflict-free’.

Stating that India is a founding member of the KPCS, Mr Pillai said India would endeavour to enlarge the Kimberly Process family, attracting more countries to join the scheme.

Noting the World Trade Organisation’s (WTO) renewal of its waiver of the KPCS, he said, “thanks to our concerted effort, conflict diamonds contribute less than one per cent of the world production as per KP and UN estimates.

Greater stability also means that now there is potential for the wealth created by diamonds to combat more tangibly to global peace and prosperity”.

Tackling fakes

Mr Pillai said there should be more efforts to find solution to the problem of fake KP certificate and during interim measures, short of expulsion, for non-compliance is a major task facing the members.

He also sought the cooperation of the members to strengthen the peer review mechanism.

India is holding the Chair for the current year and is hosting the meeting that would last till June 19 here.

He said India is moving up the value chain with the country’s skilled workers moving into larger stones and to the fashion jewellery and retail jewellery outlets.

He said India has a share of 60 per cent of the world’s polished diamond market by value and 82 per cent by volume. In 2007-08, India imported rough diamonds worth about $10 billion and its export of cut and polished diamond was $14 billion.

Maize export ban

Later, speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the function, Mr. Pillai ruled out any immediate plan to ban maize export and also relaxation of export ban on wheat despite good harvest and higher procurement. “There is no immediate move to ban maize exports. However, the issue is being examined in detail by the Department of Consumer Affairs”, he said.

On non-basmati rice export ban removal, Mr. Pillai noted that the Government might consider lifting the ban after November when the new crop comes to the market.

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