Zimbabwe joined the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme voluntarily and can just as easily leave it if it continues to deem the country's compliance efforts unsatisfactory and hinder diamond exports, Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe said.

According to the Herald, the statement was made while Mugabe was opening the 71st Chamber of Mines of Zimbabwe annual general meeting in Harare, Sunday.

Mugabe also slammed the United States, Britain, Canada and Australia for trying to deny the country the right to benefit from its diamond resources.

"To tell you the truth, I have not seen a single diamond from Chiadzwa. None, but I believe that we are piling them; obeying the rules that are set for us to obey since we decided to go voluntarily to the KP. It was our choice. Having gone into it and realizing the organization comprises countries not friendly to us, we should do some re-thinking," he said.

"We want to be orderly, to do like what other countries in the region are doing but countries like the US, Britain, Australia and Canada want to take advantage of us by ensuring the process creates the same effect like sanctions on us; that we should not be allowed to sell our diamonds.

"It boggles the mind that you are working with developed countries and you would think that their consciences are also developed and they have a highly developed sense of morality, but no. They become little-minded, narrow and evil-hearted. They do not want us to sell our diamonds."

If the Zimbabwean people are going to mine diamonds or gold, he continued, "surely they should have an open market — an international market to sell their products without hindrance."

The Head of State and Government and Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defense Forces assured investors that the Indigenization and Economic Empowerment Act and Regulations were not about nationalization and should not ignite undue fears.

The government, he said, has no intention of expropriating the mining industry, but instead was working to create a sustainable win-win partnership beneficial to both Zimbabweans and foreign investors.

"I am thus amazed by the rush of negative publicity towards this policy of indigenization when, in fact, its regulations provide for flexibility where necessary," said Mugabe.

President Mugabe singled out mining giant Rio Tinto and Zimplats on the social arena as illustrative of the merits of well-designed and beneficial community development projects.

President Mugabe took a swipe at Anglo-American Corporation for not engaging in such activities saying the conglomerate was "just taking gold away".

"Indeed, Government is aware of the current challenges constraining the growth of the mining sector, thus slowing down the recovery momentum.

We have instituted a package of economic stabilization measures under the Short-Term Economic Recovery Program and having achieved stabilization, will now roll out further economic reforms for sustainable recovery and growth of the economy."

The President said the finalization of the Mines and Minerals Act was progressing well and the amendments would improve administration and management of mineral titles.

The 71st Chamber of Mines AGM was held under the theme "Rebuilding the mining industry for sustainable growth, development and empowerment".