To the kind attention of Mister David ANDREWS

Minister for Foreign Affairs

Brussels, March 5, 1998

Your Excellency,

In the framework of two of the campaigns of the Radical Party I would like to solicit your support to some initiatives which, according also to your brother and my colleague and friend at the European Parliament, Niall Andrews, represent also for you and your country, two important goals.

The first one concerns the universal abolition of death penalty. Last year, on the initiative of Italy, the Human Rights Commission in Geneva voted a resolution that considers the abolition of death penalty as un enhancement of the human dignity and inviting the General Assembly to adopt an universal moratorium on capital executions.

We think therefore that, since the recent abolition of the death penalty in several countries throughout the world, it is the right moment to table first a new resolution at the Human Rights Commission in Geneva and later on, to table a resolution at the General Assembly of the UN calling for the establishment of an universal moratorium at the United Nations.

Together with the abolitionnist association "Hands off Cain", my party prepared a general note on the issue that I enclosed to this letter.

The second issue concerns the International Criminal Court. As you know the founding Conference will take place in Rome from June 17, 1998 until July 15, 1998.

We think it is of vital importance that the Conference ends with an agreement among the States and many efforts still have to be done in order to obtain a strong majority of states willing to create a real Court, an independent and effective tribunal. For so doing several international Conferences have been organized by "No Peace without Justice", the last one was hold in Dakar with a great attendance of African Countries.

To strenghten the movement in favour of a real and effective tribunal, my party is lobbying in many parliaments in order to obtain strong support in that direction from their respective government. Please find enclosed the text of the draft motion.

Thank you for your attention, with the hope that Ireland will continue to be a strong supporter of both those issues and remaining at your disposal for any furtur informations, please receive my best regards,

Olivier Dupuis

(General Secretary, MEP)

Enclosed:

- the resolution on the abolition of the death penalty adopted last year by the Human Rights Commission;

- a general note on the campaign;

- a note country by country on the question of the death penalty;

- the draft motion prepared for the national parliaments on the international criminal court.