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<p><font size="+1"></font><font size="+1"><strong>March 21, 2002</strong></font></p>
<p align="CENTER"><font size="+1"><strong>KIMBERLEY PROCESS FINAL COMMUNIQUÉ</strong></font></p>
<p>The 12th plenary meeting of the Kimberley Process was held in Ottawa from March 19 to 20, hosted by Canada in
cooperation with South Africa as Chair of the Process.</p>
<p>The Kimberley Process was initiated by South Africa in May 2000 to develop an international certification scheme for
rough diamonds to prevent conflict diamonds from entering legitimate markets. The Ottawa meeting brought together
approximately 150 officials from over 35 diamond producing, exporting, importing and processing countries, as well as
representatives from the diamond industry and non-governmental organizations. </p>
<p>Please visit <a href="www.kimberleyprocess.com">www.kimberleyprocess.com</a> for more information on the Kimberley Process.</p>
<p>- 30 -</p>
<p>The Final Communiqué of the 12th plenary meeting of the Kimberley Process is attached.</p>
<p>For further information, media representatives may contact:</p>
<p>Media Relations Office</p>
<p>Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade</p>
<p>(613) 995-1874</p>
<p><a href="https://bac-lac.wayback.archive-it.org/web/20070220195245/http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/">http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca</a></p>
<p><font size="+1"><strong>Final Communiqué</strong></font></p>
<p><font size="+1"><strong>KIMBERLEY PROCESS MEETING, OTTAWA, MARCH 18 to 20, 2002</strong></font></p>
<p>The Participants in the Kimberley Process met in Ottawa, Canada, from March 18 to 20, 2002, to consider technical issues
related to detailed proposals for an international certification scheme for rough diamonds. Thirty-seven countries and the
European Community were represented at the meeting. Also participating were representatives of the World Diamond
Council representing the diamond industry, and several non-governmental organizations. The Participants expressed their
gratitude to the Canadian government for hosting the meeting and for the warm hospitality they had enjoyed.</p>
<p>Participants welcomed the resolution adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on March 13, 2002, which
expressed firm support for the work being done by the Kimberley Process. Participants also affirmed the important progress
achieved to date, including the declaration by ministers at the recent meeting in Gaborone, Botswana, that the proposals
developed by the Kimberley Process provide a good basis for the envisaged certification scheme.</p>
<p>The Ottawa meeting dealt with a number of outstanding technical implementation issues. The first concerned the
compatibility of the international certification scheme for rough diamonds with international trade law obligations. The
Government of Switzerland led the Working Group dealing with this issue. Participants intend to implement the scheme in
a WTO-compatible manner in order to respond to the great humanitarian challenge posed by conflict diamonds.
Participants agree to continue efforts to promote the widest possible participation in the proposed certification scheme for
rough diamonds and further examination of WTO-related aspects at the request of Participants. </p>
<p>The Working Group on Statistics, led by the Government of Canada, proposed technical clarifications to the text of Annex
III of the Framework Document, which were subsequently endorsed by the Plenary. Reflecting the need to take into
account the role of statistics in supporting effective implementation of the certification scheme, as well as the need to
protect commercially sensitive information, these proposals further elaborated the scope and nature of the statistics to be
collected and the frequency according to which these should be published.</p>
<p>The Working Group on Participant Measures, led by the Government of South Africa, clarified the question of the
monitoring and implementation of the scheme. This clarification was endorsed by the Plenary, allowing an earlier
reservation to be withdrawn. </p>
<p>The meeting also considered the nature and scope of the administrative support services required for the optimal
functioning of the international certification scheme for rough diamonds. This Working Group, convened by the
representative of the European Community, provided an analysis of the tasks to be performed. The Plenary concluded that a
permanent secretariat would not be required at this stage. The convenor of the Working Group agreed to develop the
analysis in more detail for later consideration by Participants.</p>
<p>The meeting furthermore considered the layout and logo of Kimberley Process Certificates, and encouraged each
Participant to design its own certificate along common lines. </p>
<p>Each Participant intends to concentrate its efforts on preparing for implementation of the international certification scheme.
In this context, the Participants accepted the invitation of the Government of Switzerland to host a plenary meeting in
November 2002 with a view to the simultaneous launch of the certification scheme before the end of this year.</p>
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