ABSTRACT; Account of the meeting of a delegation of signatories of the petition on the ad hic tribunal for ex-Yugoslavia with the President of the Italian Republic, Oscar Luigi Scalfaro (1), and the complete recording og the message sent by President Scạfaro to the U.N. Secretary-General Boutros Boutros Ghali.

(1994 - IL QUOTIDIANO RADICALE, 25 October 1993)

On Friday October 1st, a delegation of signatories of the petition for the ad hoc tribunal for the crimes committed in the former Yugoslavia formed, among others, by Emma Bonino, secretary of the radical party, Ottavio Lavaggi, treasurer, Alfredo Biondi, vice president of the Chamber, Mario Pendinelli, Renzo Foa, Antonino Zichichi, Liliana Cavani, explained the meaning and the urgency of the initiative promoted by the radical party to the Italian President. As he had promised in front of the delegation, on November 17 President Scalfaro sent the United Nations Secretary-General Boutros Boutros Ghali the letter published below.

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Mr Secretary-General,

a few days ago I received a delegation of signatories of the international petition for the institution of international tribunal for the war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in the territories of the former Yugoslavia, who addressed a pressing request to intervene so that the tribunal may become fully operative as soon as possible.

I know how deeply you are personally committed, Mr Secretary-General, to achieving such an important initiative for the safeguard of the general principles of justice which are the basis of the Charter of the United Nations Organization itself.

Therefore, I first of all want to say that all those who take an interested in peace and civil coexistence are grateful to you for your personal contribution offered to the realization of Resolutions 808/93 and 827/93 of the Security Council.

Allow me to also express my personal gratefulness for the attention you have shown by accepting to meet a delegation of signatories of the international petition headed by Mr Marco Pannella on your return to New York after a difficult mission in Somalia. The delegation will explain the attention with which the international public opinion is following this problem. The full operativity of the international tribunal is objectively important in the delicate stage of the European and global situation, for the credibility of the United Nations itself.

Allow to send my deeply felt wishes of success, confiding that you will continue to operate for the achievement of this important step with the passion and determination which have already earned you the respect and esteem of all men of good will.

Yours sincerely,

Oscar Luigi Scalfaro

(1) SCALFARO OSCAR LUIGI. (Novara 1918). Italian politician, Christian Democrat. Lawyer, former minister of transport, minister of artistic property, minister of the Interior. A man of great integrity, he enjoys the esteem of the lay parties as well.

(2) BONINO EMMA. (Bra 1948). President of the Radical Party, former member of the European Parliament, as of 1976 member of the Italian Parliament. Among the promoters of the CISA (Information Centre on Sterilization and Abortion) and active militant in the campaign against clandestine abortion. She was tried and acquitted in Florence. Participated in the conduction, on a national and international scale, of the campaign on World Hunger. Among the founding members of "Food and Disarmament International", promoted the circulation of the Manifesto of Nobel Laureates.