A/RES/61/28 Recalling also Security Council resolution 1459 (2003) of 28 January 2003, in which the Council strongly supported the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme 1 as a valuable contribution against trafficking in conflict diamonds, Welcoming the important contribution of the Kimberley Process, which was initiated by African diamond-producing countries, Noting with satisfaction that the implementation of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme continues to have a positive impact in reducing the opportunity for conflict diamonds to play a role in fuelling armed conflict and would help to protect legitimate trade and ensure the effective implementation of the relevant resolutions on trade in conflict diamonds, Recalling its resolutions 55/56 of 1 December 2000, 56/263 of 13 March 2002, 57/302 of 15 April 2003, 58/290 of 14 April 2004, 59/144 of 15 December 2004 and 60/182 of 20 December 2005, in which it called for the development and implementation as well as a periodic review of proposals for a simple, effective and pragmatic international certification scheme for rough diamonds, Welcoming, in this regard, the implementation of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme in such a way as not to impede the legitimate trade in diamonds or impose an undue burden on Governments or industry, particularly smaller producers, nor hinder the development of the diamond industry, Welcoming also the decision of forty-seven Kimberley Process participants, representing seventy-one countries, including the twenty-five members of the European Union represented by the European Commission, to address the problem of conflict diamonds by participating in the Process and implementing the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme, Welcoming further the important contributions made and that continue to be made by the diamond industry, in particular the World Diamond Council, as well as civil society, to assist international efforts to stop the trade in conflict diamonds, Welcoming the voluntary self-regulation initiatives for the diamond industry announced by the World Diamond Council, and recognizing that a system of such voluntary self-regulation will contribute, as described in the Interlaken Declaration of 5 November 2002 on the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme for Rough Diamonds, 2 to ensuring the effectiveness of national systems of internal control for rough diamonds, Appreciating in this regard the decision taken by the plenary meeting of the Kimberley Process, held in Gaborone from 6 to 9 November 2006, based on calls from participants, civil society and the World Diamond Council urging stronger internal control standards for participants, together with measures offering clearer guidance on implementing effective controls from mine to export, stronger government oversight of the diamond industry, and spot checks of industry compliance, Noting with appreciation that the Kimberley Process has pursued its deliberations on an inclusive basis, involving concerned stakeholders, including producing, exporting and importing States, the diamond industry and civil society, as well as applicants, _______________ 1 2 2 See A/57/489. Ibid., annex 2.