KP Deadlocked Over Zimbabwe's Marange Fields (Update 3)

Efforts to find a mutually acceptable way were evident throughout the conference. HRW Associate Director Bogert (left), Zimbabwe's Minister of Mines Mpofu and WDC President Izhakoff started to look for inroads at the meeting opened on Monday

Delegates at the Kimberley Process Conference in Tel Aviv are deadlocked after three days of intensive negotiations over a possible solution to the issue of rough diamond exports from Zimbabwe's Marange fields. After positive signs in the early afternoon hours on Wednesday, a turn to the worse nearly ended the talks without a decision.

The three day Intersessional Meeting was scheduled to end at 6 pm, followed by a press conference. However, at 9 pm, and after three days of behind the door negotiations, the solution seems to elude the delegates.

One flustered delegate, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that as an agreed compromise was almost achieved, talks broke down. At this point it is not known what the compromise was and what caused the talks to take the negative turn.

Delegates convened on Monday to discuss a number of issues in addition to Zimbabwe. After the opening session, and the Introductory Remarks by WDC President Eli Izhakoff and a Civil Society representative, KP Chair Boaz Hirsch insisted that the press leave the discussions.

The last update from the discussions is that a resolution may be achieved. IDEX Online will keep reporting on this issue as it develops.

Update 1:

After midnight Israel time, some of the KP delegates participating in the intensive talks took a short break to breathe fresh air, and think about ways to reach a resolution, while some of the other delegates continued talking behind closed doors.

Sources close to the talks told IDEX Online "we are not there yet, but the talks are intense and serious." The talks are expected to continue into the night.

Update 2:

Negotiations stopped at 5 am without reaching a decision. Talks will resume Thursday afternoon in Tel Aviv, in a last push to find common ground before ending the conference. The sides are still refusing to publicly disclose what the points of contention are.

Other topics that were expected to be discussed and decided on, such as ending the requirement for decisions to be accepted unanimously or forming an administrative body were not decided on either, due to focus on Zimbabwe.