[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 158 (Wednesday, November 10, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Page S14590]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      REMOVAL OF INJUNCTION OF SECRECY--TREATY DOCUMENT NO. 106-16

  Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, as in executive session, I ask unanimous 
consent that the injunction of secrecy be removed from the following 
convention transmitted to the Senate on November 10, 1999, by the 
President of the United States: Treaty with Ukraine on Mutual Legal 
Assistance in Criminal Matters (Treaty Document No. 106-16).
  I further ask that the convention 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 United States 
of America and Ukraine on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters 
with Annex, signed at Kiev on July 22, 1998. I transmit also, for the 
information of the Senate, an exchange of notes which was signed on 
September 30, 1999, which 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. It 
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, November 10, 1999.

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