When it comes to referrences to 'LC', we must all remember that, depending on who is talking about that, referring to 'LC' could mean KRY's Las Christinas, or it could be referring to the remainder of LC. That is to say the rest of LC, that KRY is not in control of, and where so much of the enviromental damage is occurring.

In my take on this subject, most of the time that LC is mentioned, the reference is to the remaining area. When the FT article is referring to 'LC', I believe they are reffering to the areas not covered by KRY's contract. This would mean that , yes, RML is in the picture with regards to LC, but SPECIFICALLY, and ONLY the areas not included in KRY's LC contract.

This is likely been the confusion that, has occurred MOST of the time when LC is referrenced by VZ officials and locals. I feel that in general, locals look at the area as a whole. Yes, sometimes they relate specifically to Crystallex, but when talking about 'getting into' LC, or 'taking control' of LC, I believe most are relating to to the area that is being illegally mined, not mined, and where there are areas that could be 'permitted' to local miners or 'co-ops'.

The last subject I would like to address, is the tact, or lack thereof, that some are suggesting, re the Arbitration process......To insunuate that, after many many years of dealing with VZ citizens, bureaucrats, officials in the government, and lawyers, KRY management does not have a handle on these people, and how best to deal with delicate situatiuons, is, in my opinion, very arrogant and short sighted. Having dealt with officials from the US border, all the way to Costa Rica, I know how much RESPECT and PATIENTS, means to officials who control process's. We in the US and Canada cannot use our perceptions of people, bussiness, and order, to deal with what is going on for us right now. And this is besides the fact that, despite the amazing amount of DD that our members do here, we KNOW very little about what is really going on, and why.

So chill out, and try to remember that to us, this is a very big deal, and the money to be made by KRY is huge to us, it is paultry compared to what oil has meant to VZ's economy, even now.

What I have never seen addressed here, is this......The average person on the ground has, in the last 8 years or so, been looked after fairly well by Chavez , with the $$ coming painlessly from oil revenue. No one has had to think of any other major source of income for their country. Oil has been everything, and for good reason.....it HAS been everything. For us to think that they should be highly crtical of Chavez, for not getting the ball rolling in regards to KRY's mining, is quite askew. They have never had any reason for them to question Chavez in terms of his take on the economy. He HAS done a great deal for the majority, who are the poor and middle class. People are much better off than they were 10 years ago. So.....we ( KRY and the mine )are not very high in their radar scope. A few hundred million a years is a pitance in relation to the hundreds of billions represented by oil.Yes, it will mean many hundreds of jobs locally, and yes, KRY has been responsible for social programs that benefit locals. However, many will not be aware of KRY's involvment, or the significants of this involvment.

WE are hyper aware of everything to do with KRY, VZ bureacracy and mismanagement, but to them, well, I think you get my drift. It will affect them, but overall, to the whole area, getting local miners working on their own 'co-operative' concessions is away more important.

OF course,.......in...mho