Kamal Nath to inaugurate KPCS meeting on Nov 3

New Delhi, Oct 30 (UNI) Commerce and Industry Minister Kamal Nath will inaugurate on November 3 the Plenary Meeting of Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS), for which India has assumed charge of the Chair this year.

KPCS, an international certification scheme regulating trade in rough diamonds, aims at preventing the flow of conflict diamonds, while helping protect legitimate trade in rough diamonds.

At present, it has 48 members representing 74 countries, with the European Community and its member states counting as an individual participant. India is one of the founding members of the scheme.

Chair of KPCS rotates annually between the participant nations.

KP Chair oversees the implementation of the scheme, operations of the working groups and committees and general administration of the scheme.

Besides the members, the World Diamond Council, representing diamond industry, and civil society organisations -- Global Witness, Partnership-Africa Canada-- will also participate in the KP, an official release said here today.

UNI BKS SG HT1722