IRAQ: AZIZ- FRATTINI READY TO GO TO BAGHDAD WITH PANNELLA

Foreign Minister Franco Frattini is ready to go with Marco Pannella to Baghdad to 'ask the Iraqi authorities to intervene and prevent the death penalty against Tareq Aziz and those condemned with him by the Iraqi High Court last week.' 'I warmly welcome Marco Pannella's request in the name of Italy and the Government's commitment against the death penalty everywhere and against whoever is sentenced', Frattini explained in a letter. He had 'already made arrangements, in the last few days, to send a message via Ambassador Melani to his friend Al Maliki to emphasise Italy's views, 'under the auspices that the execution hasn't taken place and that the sentence pronounced at first instance could be revised, also with respect to the Iraqi judicial order and the constitutional and legislative rule of disciplining him.' 'The excellent reports of friendship between Italy and Iraq give me hope that the Italian viewpoint will be taken into consideration.' 'I am therefore ready to go to Baghdad with Marco Pannella, at a time that I will set in the next few days with the Iraqi authorities, taking into account the development of judicial proceedings against Tareq Aziz and the other condemned people.'