Zimbabwe has vowed to defy moves for international monitoring of diamond sales from its disputed Marange fields.

Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe said on Tuesday his nation will sell its massive reserves of diamonds despite not receiving authorisation.

Members of a diamond watchdog have failed to reach consensus on whether to allow Zimbabwe to resume trade in gems from its Marange fields.

Talks between members of the Kimberley Process diamond watchdog were deadlocked on Thursday over whether to allow Zimbabwe to resume trade.

Zimbabwe has banned exports of diamonds until the Kimberley Process regulator approves the sale of gems from a field plagued by human rights abuses.

De Beers would have preferred to have seen Zimbabwe temporarily suspended from the Kimberley Process, writes Nicky Oppenheimer.

Pressure was mounting on Monday on the watchdog set up to combat so-called ”conflict diamonds” to suspend Zimbabwe from the global diamond trade.

Zimbabwe’s military is involved in illegal mining in diamond mine fields, where civilians are victims of ”horrific” violence, a diamond watchdog says.