[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 148 (2002), Part 9]
[Senate]
[Pages 12994-12995]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




REMOVAL OF INJUNCTION OF SECRECY--TREATY DOCUMENTS NOS. 107-12 AND 107-
                                   13

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, as in executive session, I ask unanimous 
consent that the injunction of secrecy be removed from the following 
treaties transmitted to the Senate today by the President of the United 
States:
  Treaty with Sweden on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters, 
Treaty Document No. 107-12;
  Treaty with Belize on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters, 
Treaty Document No. 107-13.
  I further ask unanimous consent 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 Treaty Between the Government of 
the United States of America and the Government of the Kingdom of 
Sweden on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters, signed at 
Stockholm on December 17, 2001. 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 activities more effectively. The Treaty should be an effective 
tool to assist in the prosecution of a wide variety of crimes, 
including terrorism, drug trafficking, and fraud and other white-collar 
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: 
locating or identifying persons or items; serving documents; taking the 
testimony or statements of persons; transferring persons in custody for 
testimony or other purposes; providing documents, records,

[[Page 12995]]

and items; executing requests for searches and seizures; assisting in 
proceedings related to immobilization and forfeiture of assets and 
restitution; initiating criminal proceedings in the Requested State; 
and any other form of assistance consistent with the purposes of this 
Treaty and not prohibited by the laws of the State from whom the 
assistance is requested.
  I recommend that the Senate give early and favorable consideration to 
the Treaty and give its advice and consent to ratification.
                                        The White House, July 15, 2002.

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 Belize on Mutual 
Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters, signed at Belize on September 19, 
2000, and a related exchange of notes signed at Belize on September 18 
and 22, 2000. 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 activities more effectively. The Treaty should be an effective 
tool to assist in the prosecution of a wide variety of crimes, 
including drug trafficking, money laundering, and terrorism offenses. 
The Treaty is self-executing.
  The Treaty provides for a broad range of cooperation in criminal 
matters. Mutual assistance available under the providing documents, 
records, and articles of evidence; locating or identifying persons; 
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 to the victims of crime and collection of fines; and any 
other form of assistance not prohibited by the laws of the State from 
whom the assistance is requested.
  I recommend that the Senate give early and favorable consideration to 
the Treaty, and give its advice and consent to ratification.
The White House, July 15, 2002.

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