[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 2 (Wednesday, January 28, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Page S187]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




REMOVAL OF INJUNCTION OF SECRECY--TREATY DOCUMENT NO. 105-33 AND TREATY 
                          DOCUMENT NO. 105-34

  Mr. BROWNBACK. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
injunction of secrecy be removed from the following treaties 
transmitted to the Senate on January 28, 1998, by the President of the 
United States:
  Extradition Treaty with Zimbabwe, Treaty Document No. 105-33;
  Treaty with Latvia on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters, 
Treaty Document No. 105-34.
  I further ask that the treaties be considered as having been read the 
first time; that they be referred, with accompanying papers, to the 
Committee on Foreign Relations and ordered to be printed; and that the 
President's messages be printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The messages of the President are as follows:

To the Senate of the United States:
  With a view to receiving the advice and consent of the Senate to 
ratification, I transmit herewith the Extradition Treaty between the 
Government of the United States of America and the Government of the 
Republic of Zimbabwe, signed at Harare on July 25, 1997.
  In addition, I transmit, for the information of the Senate, the 
report of the Department of State with respect to the Treaty. As the 
report explains, the Treaty will not require implementing legislation.
  The provisions in this Treaty follow generally the form and content 
of extradition treaties recently concluded by the United States.
  This Treaty will, upon entry into force, enhance cooperation between 
the law enforcement communities of both countries, and thereby make a 
significant contribution to international law enforcement efforts. It 
is the first extradition treaty between the two countries.
  I recommend that the Senate give early and favorable consideration to 
the Treaty and give its advice and consent to ratification.
                                                  William J. Clinton.  
  The White House, January 28, 1998.
                                  ____

To the Senate of the United States:
  With a view to receiving the advice and consent of the Senate to 
ratification, I transmit herewith the Treaty Between the United States 
of America and the Republic of Latvia on Mutual Legal Assistance in 
Criminal Matters, signed at Washington on June 13, 1997. I transmit 
also, for the information of the Senate, an exchange of notes that was 
signed the same date as the Treaty and that provides for its 
provisional application, as well as the report of the Department of 
State with respect to the Treaty.
  The Treaty is one of a series of modern mutual legal assistance 
treaties being negotiated by the United States in order to counter 
criminal activities more effectively. The Treaty should be an effective 
tool to assist in the prosecution of a wide variety of crimes, 
including drug trafficking offenses. The Treaty is self-executing. The 
Treaty provides for a broad range of cooperation in criminal matters. 
Mutual assistance available under the Treaty includes: taking of 
testimony or statements of persons; providing documents, records, and 
articles of evidence; serving documents; locating or identifying 
persons; transferring persons in custody for testimony or other 
purposes; executing requests for searches and seizures; assisting in 
proceedings related to restraint, confiscation, forfeiture of assets, 
restitution, and collection of fines; and any other form of assistance 
not prohibited by the laws of the Requested State.
  I recommend that the Senate give early and favorable consideration to 
the Treaty and give its advice and consent to ratification.
                                                  William J. Clinton.  
  The White House, January 28, 1998.

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