DEATH PENALTY. PRODI, PORTUGUESE PREMIER DISCUSS MORATORIUM

Italian Premier Romano Prodi phoned Portuguese counterpart Jose' Socrates to discuss plans to draw up a United Nations' resolution for a worldwide moratorium on capital punishment.
Prodi suggested that Italy, a leading force in the European Union's moratorium drive, and Portugal - current EU duty president - should work on an initiative to draw attention to the issue when the UN General Assembly meets later this month.
The Italian premier said a number of Nobel laureates were in favour of the moratorium and were willing to help the EU organise an initiative on the sidelines of the UN Assembly in a bid to drum up support for the cause. Italy is ready to help the EU work with co-sponsors of the bid in other continents to prepare the text of the resolution, Prodi told Socrates.
Italian Foreign Minister Massimo D'Alema has warned, however, that some key countries are against the initiative and would oppose the moratorium request. "There is a general consensus for it but also pressure from very important countries which are not keen to see the UN assembly approve the sort of resolution we want to present.