Speaking at a public meeting in Las Vegas, leaders of the diamond and jewelry industries and representatives of civil society and government have underscored the importance of maintaining a sturdy Kimberley Process, and stressed that the system remains relevant to the diamond industry despite the challenges that it faces.



The panel presentation, called "Diamond Dialogue: The Challenges of a Robust Kimberly Process," took place at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas the day before the start of the JCK Show. Discussion covered a wide range of issues, including the current state of the Kimberley Process ongoing negotiations to resolving the issue of exports from Zimbabwe's Marange region.



"One should not lose sight of the fact that the Kimberley Process represents more than just preventing the infiltration of conflict diamonds into the distribution chain," said Dr. Benjamin Chavis, Co-President of the Governing Board of the Diamond Empowerment Fund.



Representing the retail jewelry trade on the panel was Susan Jacques, President and CEO of Borsheim's Fine Jewelry, a Berkshire Hathaway company. Zimbabwe-born, she expressed her passionate commitment to arriving at a proper solution to the Marange issue.



Matt Runci, President and CEO of Jewelers of America, stressed the importance of depoliticizing the Kimberley Process, and instead concentrating on defending its integrity, as a key element in protecting the entire chain of diamond jewelry distribution.



Addressing the ongoing standoff in the Marange region, World Diamond President Eli Izhakoff expressed his optimism that a resolution to the problem was in the offing. "It is in everybody's interest that a proper and equitable solution be found, and I am confident that this is both possible and imminent. Most important is that we establish a satisfactory level of trust among all the interested parties. If we can do that, then everything is possible."