Indian firms to encourage Zimbabwe diamond sales
Wednesday, October 27th, 2010
Indian diamond entrepreneurs are set to lobby their government to support Zimbabwe diamond sales.
Indian firms eager to capitalise on Zimbabwe's natural resources are set to ask their government to throw its weight behind the African nation's attempts to sell its diamonds.
Surat Rough Diamond Sourcing India Limited (SRDSIL), representatives of which were in Zimbabwe recently to pursue diamond deals, wants its government to make a stand ahead of next month's Kimberley Process meeting in Israel, the Herald reports
The meeting scheduled for Jerusalem is aimed at determining whether the country should be allowed to sell gems from the controversy-ridden Marange diamond fields in eastern Zimbabwe.
"We are confident Zimbabwe will be able to sell its diamonds appropriately. We are going to be represented by our government and we will lobby for its support," said SRDSIL chairman Ashitbhai Mehta.
However, efforts to sell Zimbabwe's diamonds on global markets are expected to meet stiff opposition from non-governmental organisations and other western agencies.
Meanwhile, the world's biggest diamond trade centre, the Bharat Diamond Bourse, opened in Mumbai recently.
