BEIJING, April 18 -- Iraqi president Jalal Talabani says he will refuse to sign a death warrant for deposed leader Saddam Hussein but he does not think his two deputies will show clemency.

    Talabani decided to go public with his view even before Saddam stands trial.

    If Saddam Hussein is indeed to be executed, the death sentence must be endorsed by the Iraqi presidency.

    But Talabani is a longstanding opponent of the death penalty.

    He said he would abide by his principles and refrain from signing any such death warrant himself, despite all the suffering the Baathist regime inflicted on his Kurdish community.

    However, he believed his two vice presidents would sign the document.

(Source: CRIENGLISH.com)