LONDON, 27 October 2000 — A World Diamond Council delegation headed by Chairman Eli Izhakoff participated in an inter-governmental meeting on conflict diamonds convened in London on October 25-26, 2000. The delegation was comprised of Peter Meeus, General Manager of the High Diamond Council, Bill Boyajian, President of GIA, and Matthew Runci, President & CEO of the Jewelers of America. Also participating in the meeting as members of the government delegation from Israel were Udi Sheintal, Diamond Controller — Ministry of Trade and Commerce and Zvi Shur, Managing Director — Israel Diamond Manufacturers Association. Andrew Coxon of De Beers was present during the second day of the meeting as an observer.

The official communiqué, issued at the conclusion of the two-day meeting, fully acknowledged the hard work of the diamond industry to date, and emphasized the importance of the continuing involvement of industry and civil society in working together with governments to devise effective and pragmatic solutions to the problem of conflict diamonds without impeding the legitimate diamond industry or imposing undue burden on governments or industry.

In his opening remarks on behalf of the WDC, Chairman Izhakoff reported to the assembled delegates representing thirty-six countries and the European Union, on the results of the industry’s work to date. Other members of the delegation addressed the meeting in the course of its deliberations. Mr. Meeus reported on the recent implementation of a rough diamond certification program between Antwerp and Sierra Leone. Mr. Boyajian described the WDC’s proposals for international rough diamond controls and Mr. Runci discussed the current status of various legislative proposals before the US Congress and the media environment n the US.

The next steps in the process include a debate on conflict diamonds at the General Assembly of the United Nations, scheduled for November 14-15 in New York, and a combined government-industry-civil society meeting on technical aspects of proposed controls, tentatively scheduled for Namibia sometime in January.