Bush Lifts Sierra Leone and Liberia Sanctions

U.S. President George Bush decided on Friday to let the Clean Diamond Trade Act replace unilateral sanctions against Sierra Leone and Liberia.

The Act places trade restrictions meant to block Conflict Diamonds as part of the international effort offered by the Kimberley Process.

To help curb such a trade the Act requires diamantaires to keep all records diamond shipments and make them available to U.S. authorities.

Though U.S. consumers buy over half of the worlds gem quality diamonds, very little rough diamonds are imported into the country.