Antwerp, 18 April 2000 — The United Nations Security Council recognises the initiatives of the Belgium government and diamond industry to prevent UNITA diamonds entering the market. The accusations against Antwerp are taken back. UNSC Resolution 1295 (2000) corrects in this way the Fowler report.

 

In the report of the panel of experts on violations of Security Council Sanctions against Angola, published on 15 March 2000 the diamond business as a whole and Belgium in particular is pointed with the finger. The so-called "Fowler report" accuses Belgium of having a lax control system that facilitate and perhaps even encourage illegal trade activity.

The Belgian Minister of Foreign Affairs and the HRD as representative of the Belgium diamond industry reacted furious. The measures taken by Belgian government and diamond industry were not mentioned in the report. The Belgian control mechanism is criticised without stipulating any precise loopholes nor comparison with control systems in other countries. Belgium has indeed the strictest control system for diamond trade in the world, based on licenses, independent physical control of every parcel and publication of detailed trade statistics.

UN Ambassador FOWLER announced corrections on the report would follow. These came in UNSC Resolution 1295 (2000), who is the conclusion after discussion of the report.

UNSC Resolution 1295 (2000) of 18.04.00 states:

"17. (The UNSC) welcomes the steps announced by the Government of Belgium on 3 March 2000 in support of the more effective implementation of the measures contained in resolution 1173 (1998), welcomes also the establishment by the Government of Belgium of an inter-ministerial task force to curb sanctions violations, further welcomes the measures taken by the Diamond High Council in conjunction with the Government of Angola, to render sanctions more effective, invites the Government of Belgium and the Diamond High Council to continue to co-operate with the Committee to devise practical measures to limit access by UNITA to the legitimate diamond market and welcomes their public affirmations in this regard, and further invites other States hosting diamond markets, as well as other States closely involved with the diamond industry, also to co-operate with the Committee to devise practical measures to the same end and to inform the Committee of measures taken in this regard ;"

The HD welcomes these corrections and confirms it commitment for total co-operation with the Sanctions Committee.