Zimbabwe Urged To Comply With Diamond Regulations

Zimbabwe Urged To Comply With Diamond Regulations

British officials have urged Zimbabwe to comply with global diamond trade regulations and said that most of the country's finest stones are being smuggled out of its rich Marange fields.

Britain 's Africa minister, Henry Bellingham, speaking at a think tank forum at London 's Chatham House, said that he would urge Zimbabwe 's government to comply with the Kimberley process.

He said that would be to the benefit of Zimbabwe as it would mean much more money to the Zimbabwe Exchequer.

Bellingham said the rich diamond deposits at Marange fields were funding ‘hardliners' when they should be benefitting the people of Zimbabwe .

Zimbabwe had said it would soon start selling millions of carats of diamonds from the Marange fields, even though the global body that regulates conflict diamonds, known as the Kimberley Process had not yet approved the sale.

In June, Zimbabwe's government agreed that diamonds from Marange would be sold only under the Kimberley Process.

REUTERS/Yinka