OIFIG AN AIRE GNOTHAI EACHTRACHA

OFFICE OF THE MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS

BAILE ATHA CLIATH 2

DUBLIN 2

Mr. Olivier Dupuis

European Parliament

rue Belliard 97-113

1047 Brussels

Belgium

15 May 1998

Our Ref POL980189

Dear Mr. Dupuis,

I would like to thank you for your letter of 24 March last in which you expressed your appreciation for the resolute stance which Ireland has taken to date in support of the universal

abolition of the death penalty. As you will be aware, the Irish Government is totally opposed to the use of capital punishment.

Ireland continues, therefore, to avail of each and every opportunity to press for its abolition world-wide, within both the United Nations and Council of Europe frameworks and elsewhere, in concert with our EU partners. Most recently, during the 54th session of the UN Commission on Human Rights in Geneva which concluded its deliberations on 24 April last, Ireland once again took a very strong stand in favour of the total, universal, abolition of the death penalty. In this

regard, we were the first country to co-sponsor the Italian resolution, following a request to do so by the Italian delegation in recognition of our strong support for this initiative in previous years. This resolution was duly adopted by the Commission on 3 April last. I very much appreciate your words of support and, indeed, your continuing interest in this matter and you may rest assured that we will continue to take a most active role in seeking universal abolition of capital punishment.

With kind regards

Yours sincerely,

David Andrews T.D.

Minister for Foreign Affairs