The Italian government accepted a motion to withhold...

The Italian government accepted a motion to withhold co-operation with the Iraqi authorities in cases in which the death penalty may be applied, even for former dictator Saddam Hussein.
The motion was tabled by Senators Cesare Salvi, Francesco Cossiga, Lamberto Dini, Rita Levi-Montalci and supported by another 50 Senators.
It was on the day's agenda, that also included the Senate discussion on the conversion into law of the government's decree relative to the extension of the Italian participation in international missions. Government accepted the terms of the motion without it being put to a vote.
The motion commits the government to "uphold with the new Iraqi government Italy's and Europe's opposition to the use of the death penalty, even with regard to Saddam Hussein, and their support for the maintenance of the moratorium on executions with a view to the abolition of the death penalty by the new constitution."
"Should the Iraq authorities re-instate the death penalty" the motion moreover commits the government to "desist from handing over individuals charged with crimes for which the Iraqi law prescribes the death penalty."
Commenting on the agenda item, Salvi, the first signatory, affirmed that "this motion is the translation into a parliamentary act of the campaign 'Hands off Saddam' promoted by Hands Off Cain."
"Whatever one's opinion of the intervention in Iraq, it is now necessary to work for the introduction of democratic principles in that country," Salvi said. "The abolition of the death penalty, or at least, a moratorium on executions, would signal the most evident break from the past."Senator for life Giulio Andreotti also intervened in favour of the motion.
HOC Secretary General Sergio D'Elia welcomed the stand taken by the Senate and the government's decision.
"Parliament has posed and government has now accepted a binding principle for Italy's participation in Iraq: the non-cooperation in the application of the death penalty. This is remarkable. Now we hope to see a similar commitment by other EU member-states and abolitionist countries active in Iraq."