Syria Today | Syria attacks Israel’s ‘conflict diamond’ leadership role

Syria attacks Israel’s ‘conflict diamond’ leadership role

Syria surprised nations gathered at a UN General Assembly session on the Kimberley Process last month when it demanded Israel’s name be removed from a key resolution, the AP reported on December 11.

Syria objected to a reference in the resolution which recognises Israel’s selection last November as 2010 chair of the Kimberley Process, an international initiative to end the trade in ‘conflict diamonds’.

The Syrian request came just before the UN General Assembly was about to vote on the Namibian-sponsored resolution, a document which welcomes progress made in the past year in efforts to cut the trade in conflict diamonds, an industry which has provoked some of Africa’s most brutal civil wars.

“Israel exploits trafficking in diamonds in Africa and other countries in the world in order to fund transactions to sell arms and to promote internal troubles in certain countries, thereby involving children in armed conflict,” Syria’s Ambassador to the UN Bashar Ja’afari said.

Namibia, currently chairing the Kimberley Process, said the reference simply reflected the “historical fact” of the selection of Israel – a large player in the global diamond industry.

The UN General Assembly was forced to suspend its deliberations on the resolution for legal consultations after the US, Canada and Israel challenged the Syrian bid. When the assembly reconvened, Syria’s request was rejected by a vote of 90 to six, with 18 abstentions. North Korea and Iran joined Syria and three other Arab nations in voting against Israel’s leadership.

The Kimberley Process imposes stringent requirements on its members to certify shipments of rough diamonds as ‘conflict-free’. The group consists of 49 members, including the European Union, and represents 75 countries that produce rough diamonds.