Death penalty ruling could sour international relations

SADDAM HUSSEIN'S trial raises the spectre of another international disagreement over Iraq should the deposed dictator be put to death?

The new Iraqi government said the Special Tribunal that will hold Saddam's trial would be able to impose the death penalty a move not likely to aggravate Washington, which says Saddam's government killed at least 300,000 Iraqis.

But it would once again put the United States at odds with Europe, which adamantly opposes capital punishment.

The 25-member European Union intends to let Iraq know of its opposition to the death penalty in all cases even those involving allegations of genocide or crimes against humanity.

Still, there are signs that Europe eager to be engaged in Iraq's reconstruction would ultimately look the other way.

The death penalty "would not in any way impede us from seeking to normalise our political relations with Iraq," said Emma Udwin, external relations spokeswoman for the European Commission.

The EU, which opposes the death penalty in principle, could also argue that executing Saddam will only inflame passions in a nation already torn apart by violence.

But analysts say they would be surprised if imposing the ultimate punishment against Saddam caused the transatlantic rift over Iraq to deepen.

"I think the protestations of Europeans will be reasonably mild if Saddam Hussein is put to death. I mean, the man has killed thousands of people," said Guillaume Parmentier, an analyst with the French Institute for International Relations.

A spokesman for British Prime Minister Tony Blair President George Bush's main international ally in the Iraq war said Britain opposed capital punishment and refused to extradite suspects to countries where it could be enforced.

"We have made clear to the interim government our position on the death penalty. However, Iraq does have a sovereign government and we have to respect that," said the spokesman.

A majority of Iraqis take a much harder view.

According to a nationwide poll in Iraq taken in May, 61% of Iraqis said Saddam should get the death penalty if found guilty of murdering Iraqis.

One in five said he should face a life sentence.