Russia hits back at attempts to 'politicise' its diamonds
The KP Civil Society Coalition (CSC) and some member states sought to discuss whether Russia's diamonds were helping to fund the war in Ukraine during a KP meeting in Botswana last week. "The Russian Federation absolutely condemns the orchestrated attempts of CSC, backed by an absolute minority of some Western participants, to politicize the work of the Kimberley Process by deliberately distorting or even openly replacing its basic principles," Russia's finance ministry said in an emailed statement.
- Country:
- Russian Federation
Russia condemned what it called a push to "politicize" its diamonds over the conflict in Ukraine and said attempts to question its compliance with the international diamond certification scheme were "totally unfounded" and "far-fetched".
The Kimberley Process, a coalition of governments, the diamond industry, and civil society responsible for certifying diamonds as conflict-free, is split over a push by Ukraine and others to expand its definition of conflict diamonds to include that funding aggression by states. The KP Civil Society Coalition (CSC) and some member states sought to discuss whether Russia's diamonds were helping to fund the war in Ukraine during a KP meeting in Botswana last week.
"The Russian Federation absolutely condemns the orchestrated attempts of CSC, backed by an absolute minority of some Western participants, to politicize the work of the Kimberley Process by deliberately distorting or even openly replacing its basic principles," Russia's finance ministry said in an emailed statement. It did not specify which principles it felt were being distorted or replaced. The CSC did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.
The KP defines conflict diamonds as those that fund rebel movements seeking to overthrow legitimate governments, a narrow definition that many have sought to widen since the KP was founded in 2003. The revision of that definition should be part of a review of the KP certification scheme due in 2023, the finance ministry said, adding that Russia, which was KP chair last year, has "championed" work on revising the definition for the past five years.
"We, therefore, call on our opponents to refrain from further speculative accusations, abstain from political demagoguery and concentrate on the substantive work of the KP," the finance ministry said. The KP makes all decisions by consensus and the rift over Russia and Ukraine could jeopardize its effectiveness.
(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
- READ MORE ON:
- Russia
- Botswana
- Western
- finance ministry
- Ukraine
- The Russian Federation
ALSO READ
Senior US treasury officials to urge India to maintain implementation of Russian oil price cap
Russian drone attack kills five in Ukraine's Kharkiv, officials say
Russian drone attack kills at least four in Ukraine's Kharkiv, officials say
Senior US treasury officials to urge India to maintain implementation of Russian oil price cap
Russian rouble dips against the US dollar