Venezuela Suspends Itself from the Kimberley Process

Two years after the first calls to expel Venezuela from the Kimberley Process were made over non-compliance, the South American state has suspended itself for a period of at least two years.

The news was announced by the Venezuelan Ambassador to India in a statement during the Kimberley Process meeting in New Delhi Wednesday.

At the fifth annual Kimberley Process plenary meeting in November, Venezuela submitted statistical and annual reports and agreed to a peer review as demand to expel the country mounted.

Reports of continued rough diamond smuggling from Venezuela brought renewed calls to remove it from the process, mostly from NGOs.

Diplomatic efforts by several KP members, led by the EC, have convinced the South American country to suspend itself and not wait until the members force it out. While suspended, Venezuela will arrange for a review visit by the KP Chair.

It intends to explain the government's plan to return into the fold to the review team.

According to reports from the KP meetings, the NGOs welcomed the move, saying they find it satisfactory at this stage.