The Italian EU Presidency remained committed to the...

The Italian EU Presidency remained committed to the objective of seeing adopted a worldwide moratorium on capital executions, said Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini, speaking in Brussels during a meeting with a Hands Off Cain delegation which included former Illinois Governor and HOC Honorary President George Ryan.
During the meeting Frattini stated that "the objective is to arrive at a moratorium request with the backing of all EU member states". At the moment, he said, there are differences in tactics between EU countries.
HOC President Marco Pannella also took part in the meeting, stating: "The Italian government has the responsibility to back a UN moratorium on executions. No one has renounced their national sovereignty with respect to the UN, it is therefore necessary to exercise this national sovereignty to the full and without limits". Pannella also stated there was no need for unanimity or for a majority, which is already there.
"Other governments which now oppose the moratorium," Pannella said, "do so in order to bring forth the initiative under their Presidency. It is therefore most likely that at the ongoing EU General Affairs Council there won't be unanimous support for the proposal put forward by the Italian Presidency".