Australian statement to the Third Committee of the General Assembly in its 63rd session, on the response to a proposed amendment to the resolution on a moratorium on the use of the death penalty.
18 November 2008
(As delivered)
The Australian delegation is of the view that the report of the Secretary-General on the moratorium on the use of the death penalty, to which OP1 of L.19/Rev. 1 refers, makes a substantive contribution to the debate on this issue. We would therefore wish to see the reference “welcoming” it retained in the operative section of the resolution.
We would also note that co-sponsors have already accommodated some amendments in this paragraph, in line with those proposed during negotiations on this text. Specifically, we have removed the reference to “endorsing” the conclusions and recommendations of the Secretary-General’s report, as requested by a number of delegations.
We view the Secretary-General’s report as a balanced one, including the views of both abolitionist and retentionist countries. We therefore wish to see it welcomed in this resolution and oppose the amendment contained in document A/C.3/63/L.67.