New measures aimed at curbing the trade in conflict diamonds have been criticised by non-governmental organisations (NGOs). Representatives of more than 60 countries and leaders of the diamond industry have agreed to introduce a system where individual countries volunteer for their diamond trading activities to be independently monitored. But the NGO’s say the system is not tight enough to stop trade in the so-called “blood diamonds”. “No agreement is credible without a mandatory monitoring system and the Kimberley Process is no exception,” said Bethan Brookes from Action Aid. “This is a loophole through which conflict diamonds can slip,” she said. Full Story