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After a review mission to Harare and KP monitor Abbey Chikane confirmed Zimbabwe had met the KP minimum requirements to allow for unsupervised and unconditional exports, Zimbabwe maintained throughout the four-day meetings that rough diamonds will be available in Harare to the world market.

The United States, which led Canada and Australia in trying to block Zimbabwe’s right to unconditional exports, chickened out of its bid to be the next KP vice chairman fearing an angry African contingent would reject its nomination.

But as the plenary met for its final moments in Jerusalem yesterday — Zimba-bwe’s detractors kept mum when Mines and Mining development Minister Obert Mpofu announced that Zimbabwe was going to proceed with diamond sales immediately.

“Like I have said before and I would like to say it again — Zimbabwe is going to proceed with the exports of its diamonds immediately because it has met the KP minimum requirements as confirmed by the review mission and the KP monitor.

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“I have consulted my superiors in Harare and this is our position and its not going to change,” he said.

The announcement received applause from the audience and was immediately endorsed by South Africa, Namibia and Brazil which all said they supported Zimbabwe’s exports as the country had met KP minimum requirements.

Minister Mpofu took a swipe at the politicisation of the Kimberly Process and accused the United States of States of bullying Zimbabwe at the plenary. The minister said it was unfortunate that KP was now threatened with collapse due to the arrogance of one superpower and a few of its lackeys.

“Mr Chairman, we have been treated very unfairly by Kimberly process. From TelAviv to Moscow (venues of the two previous KP meetings) we have been treated as if we don’t matter in this organisation.

“At this meeting in Jerusalem we have had an elephant coming to comb a whole tree to attack an ant. And the elephant did not come on its own, it brought other 30 elephants just to attack a small ant.

“In a civilised world that we live in, surely countries must recuse themselves on issues where they are conflicted.

“The United States has imposed sanctions and at the same time, it wants to come in here and dictate what Kimberley should do about Zimbabwe. Colleagues, this is not fair,” said an emotionally charged Minister Mpofu.