EP APPROVES SECOND RESOLUTION FOR UN MORATORIUM

the EP resolution “reiterates its request to the Council Presidency to take swift action to ensure that a resolution calling for a universal moratorium on capital punishment is submitted to the UN General Assembly currently in session in New York.The resolution also “urges the EU institutions and the Member States to make every endeavour in the political and diplomatic spheres to ensure the most appropriate support for the resolution within the UN General Assembly.”
This is the second time in the space of a few weeks that the EP asks the Italian presidency to keep faith with the commitment expressed to it on July 2 when it told the Parliament that the adoption by the General Assembly of a resolution establishing a moratorium on capital punishment was one of its political priorities as regards foreign policy.
The Italian Parliament is also gearing up to debate a similar resolution for the second time in the face of the Foreign Ministry’s uncertain attitude despite the approval of the first resolution by the Chamber.
Marco Pannella, MEP and Hands Off Cain President, declared:
“It’s time that President Frattini affirms convictions instead of masking convenience with slightly indecent hieroglyphics. In 1994 at the UN General Assembly, we lost for just 8 votes due to the preoccupation of Singapore and other states with the diminution of their national sovereignty with respect to the moratorium proposal. Since then 33 states have abolished the death penalty legally or de facto or applied a moratorium.
“The Italian presidency has announced urbi et orbi its belief in this battle, yet it has been picking up every possible pretext and taking every occasion to go against the commitments it has made.
“We at Hands Off Cain and the Transnational Radical Party are battling so that our country – if possible and despite the Italian government – and Europe uphold convictions that they have accepted or declared that they have accepted, and stop ignobly following stupid and erroneous conveniences.
“Because of its attitude, I am afraid that the Italian presidency is running out of time to assert its credibility. I hope that this will not turn out to be the case, but the Italian presidency is risking indecency and the loss of its credibility, and making us risk with it.”
Also on Thursday, Minister Frattini intervened with his EU counterparts to press for a common EU position on the presentation by the EU of a resolution for a UN moratorium on executions. He also indicated to his fellow ministers that in case consensus is lacking, Italy – unless there are specific reservations by EU member states – will itself promote the presentation of a resolution at the UN and campaign to raise awareness on the death penalty issue in order to ensure the success of the said resolution at the General Assembly.