'Diamonds are a girl's best friend - don't let them be man's worst enemy' urges Graham Watson MEP

5.42.29pm GMT Mon 12th Feb 2007

As we approach Valentine's Day, the largest diamond-buying season, Liberal Democrat MEP for the South West and Gibraltar, Graham Watson has told would-be buyers to demand proof that their diamonds are conflict free.

Speaking from Strasbourg, Graham Watson said:

"For many people this Valentine's Day, diamonds will symbolise love, happiness or wealth, but this year we must remember that for others, they can mean conflict, misery and poverty.

This year the European Commission has the responsibility of Chairing the Kimberley Process - the Process set up to prevent conflict diamonds from entering the legitimate international market. I have already written to the Commission urging it to use its position wisely to sure-up the current loopholes which still allow conflict diamonds to enter the market.

But ending this illegal trade is not just the responsibility of governments through the Kimberley Process. Diamond retailers must deliver on their promises to curb trade in conflict diamonds. And as consumers too, we can make a practical contribution on the high street. We must ask questions about diamonds, ask about the supply chain and demand proof of a conflict-free origin before we buy."

The Kimberley Process works by preventing conflict diamonds from entering the legitimate international market. All international shipments of rough diamonds must be in tamper-free containers and accompanied by government-issued certificates guaranteeing their conflict origin. But, in October a UN report concluded that conflict diamonds from Côte d'Ivoire were still sneaking through the system's safeguards.

The recent film 'Blood Diamond' starring Leonardo Di Caprio has raised the profile of the issue, portraying the bloody implications of conflict diamonds in Sierra Leone.