MOSCOW, May 23. /TASS/. Alrosa’s Vice President Andrey Polyakov assumed the office of the President of the World Diamond Council (WDC), the Russian diamond miner said on Monday.

Polyakov was elected as the Vice President of the WDC in 2015. According to WDC bylaws, the vice president subsequently becomes its president. Polyakov succeeded to Edward Asscher, whose two-year tenure expired this May.

The World Diamond Council brings together representatives of the entire international diamond industry supply chain, from mining through retail. WDC represents the diamond industry in the Kimberley Process (KP), the body created to eradicate conflict diamonds from entering the legitimate diamond supply chain. Conflict diamonds are rough diamonds used by rebel movements to finance wars against legitimate governments.

"Diamond possesses not only material but also emotional value, symbolizing love, family, obligation and loyalty. Realizing the importance of this, the WDC aims at representing the interests of the industry at the KP, protecting its reputation and integrity for the millions of people involved in the modern diamond industry, in the interests of customers and the future of the entire industry. I am sure that joint efforts of WDC participants and readiness for dialogue will allow us to achieve success", Polyakov said.