[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1997, Book II)]
[July 8, 1997]
[Pages 926-927]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Message to the Senate Transmitting the Poland-United States
Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty With Documentation
July 8, 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 United States 
of America and the Republic of Poland on Mutual Legal Assistance in 
Criminal Matters, signed at Washington on July 10, 1996. 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

[[Page 927]]

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 
of testimony or statements of persons; providing documents, records, and 
articles of evidence; serving documents; locating or identifying persons 
or items; 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 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,

July 8, 1997.

Note: This message was released by the Office of the Press Secretary on 
July 9.