Between 1989 and 1993, four successive ministers of justice refused to authorise executions, which amounted to an informal moratorium.

This informal moratorium came to an end in January, when Lebanon held its first executions since 1998, two by firing squad and one by hanging.

Many members of European Green parties were among the 85 abstentions today, as they fear the demise of the informal moratorium.

You say that India broke an "informal moratorium."

There's talk among residents of an informal "moratorium on bad press."

Kirk promised to resume executions-the last had taken place in Florida in 1964-but no executions occurred during his administration, mostly because of an informal nationwide moratorium.

We believe," an Australian Government spokesman said, "that the present informal moratorium on mineral and oil prospecting and exploitation could be extended indefinitely.

The city imposed an informal moratorium on the seizing of buildings two years ago.

Should we approve this legislation tomorrow it would mean the beginning of the end of the present informal 'moratorium' on GMO commercial approvals.

He has a remedy: "An informal moratorium whereby people have to wait a year before publishing their memoir.