Ambassador Francesco Paolo Fulci

On draft resolution A/C.3/49/L.32 rev. 1: "CAPITAL PUNISHMENT"

9 DICEMBRE 1994

Mr. Chairman,

In a few moments, hopefully, we shall vote again on the question of capital punishment. This will be the sixth vote. We have formalized a revised text of draft resolution L.32, which had been introduced with the co-sponsorship of 50 Countries the day before yesterday. Since the new text, L.32 rev.1, does not give the names of the additional co-sponsors, I would like to do so at this point. They are: Argentina, Bolivia, Cyprus, El Salvador, Germany, Micronesia, New Zealand, Dominican Republic, Solomon Islands, Sao Tome and Principe, Slovakia and Venezuela.

For their part, Singapore and Egypt have also formalized their amendments to the revised text. Our revised draft now contains an additional preambular paragraph, paragraph 8, meant to accomodate the concerns of Singapore and other delegations.

We believe that the substance, the essence of Singapore's and Egypt's amendments is now reflected in our text. This, as you can imagine, involved attenuating our position as much as we possibly could. Yet although we have gone out of our way to extend the hand of compromise, the other side refuses to meet us half-way. We have received nothing in exchange. Our concession to them has come at a cost: one of the 50 co-sponsors has already decided that we have given too much consideration to the amendments, at the risk of distorting the original intentions of the sponsors. Should Singapore's more radical amendment be preferred over our more moderate language, others may follow suit and withdraw their co-sponsorship.

Another reason to oppose the amendment is the major difference between Singapore's wording and our own. We recognize the sovereign right of States to determine penalties to deal with the most serious crimes, but in accordance with international law and the Charter of the United Nations. The Singapore amendment omits the reference both to international law to the Charter of the United Nations, and this we cannot accept.

For these reason Italy, also on behalf of the other co-sponsors of the resolution, strongly urges the delegations that have thus far supported us to continue to vote with us.

Shortly after we cast our vote, the record of the vote will go to the press room. There, every vote will be scrutinized and analyzed, down to the last detail. The public opinion of our Countries and of the world is watching us. It will pay special attention to the passage in our document concerning the execution of pregnant women, minors and insane persons. In our opinion, this is one of the most crucial points in the document.

So, my friends, I urge you to vote with us by voting against the amendments. Once again, press the red button, the red button please!