De Beers is the world's leading diamond mining company. It has over a century of experience in the mining of diamonds and in the diamond trade, and it has an enormous amount of history, effort, and resources tied up in the diamond trade. More importantly, our company has its roots on the African continent. We are overwhelmingly concerned with the welfare of Africa's economies, its resources, and its peoples. We are eager to see the situation resolved, and are therefore pleased to have had this opportunity to offer our thoughts on possible solutions to this Committee.
De Beers stands ready to offer assistance to those who would work constructively towards a solution that cuts off the trade in "conflict diamonds" while protecting the very real gains many African economies have made as a result of the legitimate diamond trade. Along with the members of this Committee and groups of concerned people across the world, De Beers shares a vision of a peaceful and economically strong Africa, and we thank the Committee for its consideration.
