21 November 2006 :

"We are gathering support with the European Union for the abrogation of the death penalty and a universal moratorium on capital executions. The objective is to present a resolution at the next United Nations General Assembly,” declared Italy’s Foreign Minister Massimo D’Alema at the Senate during a briefing on the human rights situation in China following his recent visit to the People’s Republic.
“We will continue to raise the issue of the death penalty with China,” said D’Alema, who appreciated China’s decision to bring all death penalty appeals under the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court, a move “which introduces safety measures so far unheard of in China, with the purpose of reducing the application of the death penalty.”