    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1995, Book I)]
    [May 8, 1995]
    [Page 658]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Message to the Senate Transmitting the Hungary-United States Extradition
    Treaty
    May 8, 1995

    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
    Hungary on Extradition, signed at Budapest on December 1, 1994. Also
    transmitted for the information of the Senate is the report of the
    Department of State with respect to this Treaty.
        The Treaty is designed to update and standardize the conditions and
    procedures for extradition between the United States and Hungary. Most
    significantly, it substitutes a dual-criminality clause for the current
    list of extraditable offenses, thereby expanding the number of crimes
    for which extradition can be granted. The Treaty also provides a legal
    basis for temporarily surrendering prisoners to stand trial for crimes
    against the laws of the Requesting State.
        The Treaty further represents an important step in combatting
    terrorism by excluding from the scope of the political offense exception
    serious offenses typically committed by terrorists, e.g., crimes against
    a Head of State or first family member of either Party, aircraft
    hijacking, aircraft sabotage, crimes against internationally protected
    persons, including diplomats, hostage-taking, narcotics-trafficking, and
    other offenses for which the United States and Hungary have an
    obligation to extradite r submit to prosecution by reason of a
    multilateral treaty, convention, or other international agreement. The
    United States and Hungary also agree to exclude from the political
    offense exception major common crimes, such as murder, kidnapping, and
    placing or using explosive devices.
        The provisions in this Treaty follow generally the form and content
    or extradition treaties recently concluded by the United States. Upon
    entry into force, it will supersede the Convention for the Mutual
    Delivery of Criminals, Fugitives from Justice, in Certain Cases Between
    the Government of the United States of America and the Austro-Hungarian
    Empire, signed at Washington, July 3, 1856, with certain exceptions.
        This Treaty will make a significant contribution to international
    cooperation in law enforcement. 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,

    May 8, 1995.