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PRESS STATEMENT ON SIERRA LEONE BY PRESIDENT OF SECURITY COUNCIL

Following is today’s statement to the press on Sierra Leone by the President of the Security Council, John Negroponte (United States):

The Security Council discussed the Sierra Leone Diamond Sanctions Report and has the following press statement on that subject:

Members of the Security Council:

Expressed their appreciation to the Government of Sierra Leone for submission of its fourth 180-day review report on the Sierra Leone diamond Certificate of Origin regime;

Commended the efforts of the Sierra Leone Government to monitor trade in diamonds through creation of a mechanism to oversee and control domestic diamond mining;

Took note of the problems still faced by the Sierra Leone Government in the areas of illicit production and diamond smuggling;

Welcomed ongoing efforts among West African countries to develop a region-wide certification scheme and called on all parties to support such efforts;

Encouraged the Government of Sierra Leone to strengthen further its internal monitoring capacity to stop diamonds from becoming a financial source of conflict;

Urged the international community and donor countries to support ongoing Sierra Leone Government efforts to implement effective internal measures to control diamond certification and to promote economic development through mining activities;

And also welcomed the continuing efforts in the Kimberly Process to develop a global certification scheme for rough diamonds.

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