In a last-ditch attempt to bring Kimberley Process member nations to a consensus on Zimbabwe's diamonds, outgoing KP Chair Boaz Hirsch has sent out a revised draft of the Jerusalem Agreement that was drafted in Brussels in late November.

In a cover letter sent out with the revised version of the agreement, Hirsch wrote that he considers the draft his last effort as KP chairman to "bring the issue of exports of rough diamonds from [the Marange diamond fields] to a successful close."

Hirsch reminded members that by resolving the issue of Zimbabwe's diamonds, KP members would demonstrate that they are unwilling to let differences "undermine" the KP's "notable success" in eliminating trade in conflict diamonds.

The revised agreement features an amendment to the "violence clause," which had garnered objections from Zimbabwe. The revised clause now states that the KP Working Group on Monitoring (WGM) can accept reports on serious breaches of the Joint Work Plan commitments from any three members, rather than from any two.

All KP members have been asked to submit their positions on the revised agreement by January 10. In a cover letter sent with the revised draft, Hirsch said he had coordinated with incoming KP Chair Mathieu Yamba of the Democratic Republic of Congo to receive correspondence sent to the Israeli e-mail address between January 1 and January 10.