The reality behind Africa's 'blood diamond' trade - December 11, 2006

The reality behind Africa's 'blood diamond' trade - December 11, 2006: "But the system is hardly flawless, even in the U.S. In September the U.S. Government Accountability Office found that Customs and Treasury officials were only haphazardly enforcing the system, leaving companies to monitor themselves. Last year about 300,000 more carats were exported from than imported to the U.S. - which produces no commercial diamonds itself. Representatives from all 71 countries met last month in Botswana to try to tighten loopholes and squeeze out nonmembers. 'There are fewer and fewer countries left that nonmembers can trade with,' says Sue Saarnio, the U.S. State Department's representative to the November conference."