DISCORSO PRONUNCIATO DALL’AMBASCIATORE SEBASTIANO CARDI, RAPPRESENTANTE PERMANENTE DELL’ITALIA PRESSO LE NAZIONI UNITE, A NOME DELL’UNIONE EUROPEA DURANTE LA 69MA UNGA – TERZA COMMISSIONE IN OCCASIONE DELL’ADOZIONE DELLA RIS L.51/REV.1 SULLA “MORATORIUM ON THE USE OF THE DEATH PENALTY” (21 novembre 2014)

Thank you Madame Chairperson,


I take the floor to make a general statement before the adoption of resolution L.51/Rev.1 on behalf of the European Union.

We are ahead of a vote on an initiative to which we attach special attention since the resolution on a ‘Moratorium on the use of the death penalty’ deals with an issue that has been very important for us. My own country Italy – back in 2007 – was among the most convinced promoters of a new philosophy to the resolution. The resolution that a cross-regional group of [92 tbc] cosponsors presented today does not ask for the abolition of the death penalty, but rather for a moratorium on executions, respecting the differences in the individual approaches of respective countries. Cosponsors have made great strides to provide for an inclusive and transparent process, as some delegates openly recognized in the last informal, which we appreciated.

Our strong hope now is that this approach will be acknowledged and that the resolution before you will be adopted with the broadest possible support.

The Member States of the European Union, along with all the cosponsors of the resolution will support this important resolution by voting YES and we ask all delegations to do the same.


We thank you