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Ever since their discovery centuries ago, diamonds had been used exclusively for adorning Royal as well as Beauty Queens, Kings as well but modern warmongers have started misusing them for killing others! This horrible diversion, in which clandestinely mined and smuggled diamonds are traded for buying lethal arms and ammunition, is undertaken in civil was torn countries. No wonder diamonds, which had always been considered as symbols of love and purity, have earned the obnoxious nickname Conflict Diamonds!
When the Security Council of the United Nations World Organization took serious note of this most regrettable diamond trade and sounded a global alert the World Diamond Congress held at Antwerp in 2000, started taking concrete steps to curb Conflict Diamonds.
The World Diamond Council (WDC), an international body was chartered in Antwerp in July, 2000 by the World Federation of Diamond Bourses and the International Diamond Manufacturers Association, solely for the purpose of rapidly developing and implementing a comprehensive plan to curtail trade in Conflict Diamonds while minimizing impact on the legitimate diamond industry. 30 strong membership of the Council comprise all segments of the international diamonds industry - producers, manufacturers. Traders, and retailers - as well as financial institutions, governments, relevant international and civil society organization. III Izhakoff is the President.
The World Diamond Council (WDC) has urged the governments of all diamonds trading countries to enact and enforce legislation for condemning the trade of 'Conflict Diamonds'. It has also called for an international embargo on the trade of weapons that enable rebels to wage war.
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