[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1997, Book II)]
[September 18, 1997]
[Page 1192]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Message to the Senate Transmitting the Australia-United States
Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty With Documentation
September 18, 1997

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 Australia on Mutual 
Assistance in Criminal Matters, signed at Washington on April 30, 1997, 
and a related exchange of diplomatic notes signed the same date. 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 offenses, terrorism and other violent crime, money 
laundering and other ``white-collar'' crime. 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 
testimony or statements of persons; providing documents, records, and 
other articles of evidence; serving documents; locating or identifying 
persons; transferring persons in custody for testimony or other 
purposes; executing requests for searches and seizures and for 
restitution; immobilizing instrumentalities and proceeds of crime; 
assisting in proceedings related to forfeiture or confiscation; 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 related exchange of notes, and give its advice and 
consent to ratification.

                                                      William J. Clinton

The White House,

September 18, 1997.

Note: This message was released by the Office of the Press Secretary on 
September 19.