THE STATE SECRETARY BENITA FERRERO-WALDNER

Federal Ministry for Foreign Affairs

A-1014 Vienna - Ballhausplatz 2

Phone 43/1/53115-0

Fax 43/1/5354530

Mr. Olivier Dupuis

Secretary of the Radical Party

European Parliament

Rue Wiertz 60

B-1047 Brussels

July 1998

Dear Mr. Dupuis,

thank you very much for your letter dated June 19" 1998, in which you informed me about the resolution approved by the European Parliament on June 18th, asking the Council to give the Presidency the mandate to coordinate the initiatives of the member states on the issue of the death penalty during the next General Assembly of the United Nations.

Thank you also for the study forwarded with your letter, presenting a useful overview on the issue of the death penalty in the world, on the basis of which you expressed the conviction that there are real possibilities to gather a majority of Member States in favour of the moratorium at the UN General Assembly.

As you know, a respective attempt at the 51st General Assembly has not been successful, where as a majority could be found at the Commission on Human Rights. The follow-up to these resolutions has been discussed again in the EU Working Group on Human Rights chaired by Austria (COHOM July 2 nd). The general feeling among delegations was that another unsuccessful resolution at the General Assembly would be more likely to take away from the progress achieved at the Human Rights Commission. Any such attempt would therefore have to be very carefully judged with regard to chances for success. Austria, as presidency, will remain in continuous contact with the Italian delegation to the General Assembly as the principal sponsors.

Reiterating my appreciation for your letter and your expressed concern for the abolition of the death penalty I remain

yours sincerely,

Benita FERRERO-WALDNER