New York

Wednesday, September, 22, 1999

REPUBLIC OF SAN MARINO

STATEMENT

BY

H.E GABRIELE GATTI

MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AND POLITICAL AFFAIRS

OF THE REPUBLIC OF SAN MARINO

TO THE 54th SESSION OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY

[...]

San Marino people sadly regrets to see that the important and topical question of death penalty has not been included in the agenda of the General Assembly. In fact, San Marino abolished the death penalty in 1854, after

centuries of disuse.

San Marino is concerned about the consensual silence fallen on that subject, and it intends to continue to voice its protest against capital punishment, firmly convinced that the same abhorrent instrument of death

consciously and legally inflicted by a human being on another human being cannot be considered neither a valid and effective answer to defend society nor a deterrent against the spreading of criminality

Surely, we consider a positive step forward the recent adoption by the Sub-Commission for the Prevention and Protection of Human Rights of a resolution that condemns capital punishment applied to minors, as well as the fact that such an instrument of vindictive justice has not been contemplated among the sanctions in the Statute of the International Criminal Court all this is yet not sufficient to guaranty the desired global abolition.

Mr. President,

on behalf of the Government of San Mario I wish to acknowledge once more the focal role of the United Nations with respect to the major challenges of this end of the millennium and the momentum that the greatest International Organization can provide for a new century where the supremacy of a culture of peace over a culture of war, of a culture of life over a culture of death, of the full realization of human dignity over its systematic violation will prevail.

It is with this spirit that I wish to you, Mr. President, and to you all, a good work and thank you for your attention.