The European Union has urges Kimberley Process member nations and the government of Zimbabwe to boost efforts to resolve the conflict surrounding mining operations in Zimbabwe's Marange diamond fields.The appeal followed the Kimberley Process intersessional meeting in Tel Aviv, which ended sans concrete results.

An EU statement said that the eurobloc "now hopes that KP Participants and Zimbabwe will intensify their efforts in order to find this consensus, in the spirit of dialogue and cooperation that has always presided over the Kimberley Process.

"The EU regrets the current impasse which undermines the Kimberley Process, the credibility of governance in Zimbabwe and the reputation of the legitimate international diamond industry.

"The EU also calls on Zimbabwe to maintain a firm commitment to the Kimberley Process and to pursue vigorously all necessary actions to bring all mining operations in the Marange fields into full compliance with KP requirements."