[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 81 (Friday, June 19, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Page S6730]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    REMOVAL OF INJUNCTION OF SECRECY

  Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, as in executive session, I ask unanimous 
consent that the injunction of secrecy be removed from the following 
treaty transmitted to the Senate on June 19, 1998, by the President of 
the United States:
  Treaty With Estonia on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters 
(Treaty Document No. 105-52).
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. WARNER. I further ask that the treaty be considered as having 
been read the first time, that it be referred with accompanying papers 
to the Committee on Foreign Relations and ordered to be printed, and 
that the President's message be printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The message of the President is 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 Treaty Between the Government of 
the United States of America and the Government of the Republic of 
Estonia on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters, signed at 
Washington on April 2, 1998. I transmit also, for the information of 
the Senate, 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 activity more effectively. The Treaty should be an effective 
tool to assist in the prosecution of a wide variety of crimes, 
including ``white-collar'' crime and 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 
the testimony or statements of persons; providing documents, records, 
and articles of evidence; locating or identifying persons or items; 
serving documents; transferring persons in custody for testimony or 
other purposes; executing requests for searches and seizures; assisting 
in proceedings related to immobilization and forfeiture of assets, 
restitution, and collection of fines; and rendering 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, June 19, 1998.
  Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, that concludes the matters on behalf of 
the distinguished majority leader and the Democratic leader. Therefore, 
the Chair, I am sure, will soon recognize the distinguished Senator 
from North Dakota for purposes of a presentation to the Senate for a 
period not to exceed 15 minutes.

                          ____________________