The European Union welcomes the agreement reached on Zimbabwe diamond exports, an EU press release to that effect stated.

The EU praised the agreement, finalized during the recent World Diamond Congress in Moscow, saw the Kimberley Process sanction a work plan which allows Zimbabwe a limited export of rough diamonds harvested from its Marange diamond field.

Under the agreement reached, Zimbabwe could be authorized to export some of the diamonds mined in Marange in the course of August 2010; provided it meets certain prior requirements, including the provision of an audit of its diamond stocks, and the receiving of a review mission.

"The EU urges Zimbabwe and all KP parties to spare no effort to ensure the good faith implementation of the agreement in full, so that it can pave the way to a lasting solution," said the statement.

"The EU also welcomes the recent judicial decision on the release on bail on of Farai Maguwu, a prominent Zimbabwean human rights activist, arrested in June and Zimbabwe’s restated commitment to the key role of civil society in the Kimberley Process."