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Washington, DC--The New York Diamond Dealers Club reported that leaders of the U.S. diamond and jewelry sectors have attended a meeting at the State Department in Washington, D.C., held on September 28 to discuss the U.S. position ahead of the Kimberley Process Plenary Meeting that will take place in Jerusalem, Israel, during the first four days of November.

Dominating the meeting's agenda was the U.S. policy concerning Kimberley Process-certified rough diamond exports from Zimbabwe, and also the prospects for reforming the structure and operation of the Kimberley Process forum.

Chairing the meeting, which brought together diamond and jewelry industry leaders, as well as representatives of the U.S. government and civil society, was Jose W. Fernandez, the Assistant Secretary of State for Economic, Energy and Business Affairs. In this role, Mr. Fernandez is responsible for U.S. economic sanctions policy and the combating of terrorist financing.

Also in attendance were Deputy Assistant Secretaries of State Robert Cekuta from Economic, Energy and Business Affairs, Susan Page from African Affairs and Dan Baer from Democracy, Human Rights and Labor.  

"The degree to which the current U.S. administration is engaged in the Kimberley Process is most evident," said Moshe Mosbacher. president of the Diamond Dealers Club of New York, following the meeting. "Assistant Secretary Fernandez is planning to attend the KP Plenary in Jerusalem, and that will be the highest level U.S representation at such an event ever since very early days of the Kimberley Process."

"We most certainly welcome the readiness of the State Department to consult with the membership of our country's diamond and jewelry sectors," Mr. Mosbacher continued. "Our position is steadfast. The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme is the most effective means available for preventing the infiltration of conflict diamonds into the legitimate chain of distribution, and it needs to be defended steadfastly. If this is done properly, consumer confidence in diamond jewelry will remain high, and revenues from rough diamond exports will serve to support the development of communities in the regions where diamonds are mined."

Established in 1931, the Diamond Dealers Club is the voice of the American diamond industry and is the oldest and largest diamond-trading bourse in the United States.  A member of the World Federation of Diamond Bourses, the DDC's nearly 2,000 members come from across the United States, Europe, Japan, India, South Africa and Israel.  The DDC is headquartered in a 25,000 square foot facility in the heart of the diamond district at 580 Fifth Avenue and 47th Street. To learn more about the Diamond Dealers Club go to www.nyddc.com.