(IDEX Online) - Belgium's prime minister yesterday told industry leaders that he remained opposed to sanctions on Russian diamonds.Alexander De Croo was addressing delegates at the two-day Facets 2022 convention in Antwerp, where Bruce Cleaver, CEO of De Beers, and Mokgweetsi Masisi, president of Botswana, were also among the speakers.Mr De Croo, (pictured) has repeatedly said his country would not block European Commission sanctions on the diamond trade, but has argued that would hurt Europe more than Russia. The prime minister, a strong believer in a free market, reaffirmed his support for the diamond sector and his decision to not impose sanctions at the convention, and said he had faith in the adaptability of the industry."For six centuries, Antwerp has proven that it always manages to remain resilient and innovative in turbulent times," he said."Antwerp always maintains a high level on a global level, so that the rest of the world follows suit."Tom Neys, spokesperson for the Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC) which organized the event, welcomed his comments.He said: "The absence of sanctions has allowed the diamond trade to adapt to the new reality. It is through the prime minister's support and steadfastness that we can come together today to discuss new solutions on sustainability, transparency and diamond tracking. "With sanctions, we would be in a crisis mode today, instead we can look at the future."