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Happiness Zengeni in PERTH, Australia
THE Kimberly Process (KP) Intercessional meeting got off to a controversial start on Monday as Zimbabwe and other African countries supported China’s move to object to the convening of the bi-annual meeting over the inclusion of Taiwan as guest of the host country.
It is the global diplomatic acknowledgement of China’s position that there is only one Chinese government (One China policy) as Taiwan, which is currently seeking independence, is an inalienable part of the Asian country.Zimbabwe supports the One China Policy.
However in defiance of diplomatic protocol, the KP host country, led by chairman Robert Owen-Jones invited Taiwan as a guest at the intercessional meetings which began in Perth on Monday.
According to KP rules, a chairman can only invite guests only when there is consensus with other members.
The Chinese delegation insisted that the meeting would not convene if the chairman had not cleared the issues to do with the guests; sentiments which were supported by Zimbabwe, South Africa, Angola, Namibia, the Africa Diamond Producers Association and the World Diamond Council.
Zimbabwe’s Mines and Mining Development Minister Walter Chidhakwa told the meeting that Mr Owen-Jones had to respect the issues raised by China.
“Had this been Australia (raising any issue against the meeting), then we would have been forced to not only listen to those concerns, but to also resolve them.”The meeting only resumed after a five-hour break when Mr Owen-Jones announced he had withdrawn his invitation.
Recently, the United States President Donald Trump backtracked his stance on Taiwan when he said he would not speak directly with Taiwan’s president without first checking with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
This was after president Trump spoke to Taiwanese president Tsai Ing-wen in December, with the latter saying she would be open to a second call with Washington.
Mr Trump said: “Look, my problem is I have established a very good personal relationship with President Xi.“I really feel that he is doing everything in his power to help us with a big situation.”
Meanwhile in the meeting, the European Union, United States and Canada called for the redefinition of blood diamonds, which is currently limited to diamonds that are mined and traded by rebel movements to remove legitimately elected governments.
The countries want the definition expanded to include matters of human rights abuse.This is the second attempt that such a request has been tabled after African countries led by Zimbabwe objected to the proposal in 2015.
Online Reporter