§ Mr. DrewTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the exclusion of the Democratic Republic of the Congo from the Kimberley process. [184225]
§ Mr. RammellThe expulsion of the Republic of Congo from the Kimberley Process followed a report by a visiting team drawn from others in the Process on the discrepancy between the Republic of Congo's substantial exports of rough diamonds and its limited production. The report concluded that the Republic of Congo failed to meet agreed minimum common standards and was therefore undermining the credibility of the Kimberley Process. We support the decision to expel and stand ready to consider any request from the Republic of Congo for technical assistance to help it meet the standard required and thereby eventually rejoin the Process.