Belarus has applied for the post of deputy chair of the Kimberley Process (KP) in 2023 and chair in 2024. Ukraine has accused Russia of trying to promote its ally to the leadership of the international diamond certification organization.
Reuters writes about it.
Earlier, some members of the Kimberley Process, which certifies diamonds, called for gems from Russia to be called "conflict diamonds."
"Russia insists that Belarus become the head, so that the interests of Russia can be better defended and protected within the framework of the CP," the representative of Ukraine in the Kimberley Process Volodymyr Tataryntsev noted.
Belarus did not respond to a request for comment. Russia, in turn, said it condemned attempts to "politicize" the Kimberley process.
In its application, Belarus stated that it is ready to support the "unity and authority" of the CP. Belarus, which has never before chaired the Kimberley Process, backed Russia, which refused to discuss the war in Ukraine at a meeting of the organization in June.
According to Reuters, the United Arab Emirates has also applied to chair the Kimberley Process in 2024. The UAE did not impose sanctions against Russia, seeking to maintain, as they say, "a neutral position regarding the war in Ukraine."
Volodymyr Tataryntsev noted that Ukraine is not against the nomination of the UAE, but added that "it is unlikely that anyone will be able to unify the Kimberley Process."
What is the Kimberley Process
The Kimberley Process is a collegial intergovernmental body that operates under UN resolutions aimed at preventing trade in so-called "conflict" or "blood" diamonds.
The term "blood diamonds" originated in the 1990s during a period of significant development of diamond-financed armed conflicts in African countries that killed more than two million civilians and left several million maimed.