    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1998, Book I)]
    [May 12, 1998]
    [Pages 740-742]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks on the International Crime Control Strategy
    May 12, 1998

        Thank you very much, Mary, for your remarks
    and your work. Thank you, Mr. Vice President, members of the Cabinet and Congress, Mayor Barry, members of the city council, and to all the
    law enforcement officials who are here. We are here to talk about
    building a safer world for the 21st century.

    Nuclear Proliferation in South Asia

        So before I begin my remarks about the subject of the day, I want to
    make it very, very clear that I am deeply disturbed by the nuclear tests
    which India has conducted, and I do not believe it contributes to
    building a safer 21st century. The United States strongly opposes any
    new nuclear testing. This action by India not only threatens the
    stability of the region, it directly challenges the firm international
    consensus to stop the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. I
    call on India to announce that it will conduct no further tests and that
    it will sign the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty now and without
    conditions. I also urge India's neighbors not to follow suit, not to
    follow down the path of a dangerous arms race. As most of you know, our
    laws have very stringent provisions, signed into law by me in 1994, in
    response to nuclear tests by nonnuclear weapons states, and I intend to
    implement them fully.

    International Crime Control Strategy

        Now, in a few hours I will be leaving to travel to Europe, to meet
    with the leaders of other industrial democracies in a time of great
    hope. Because of what is happening in Bosnia and Ireland, it is clear
    that if we work together, the 21st century can be a time of
    unprecedented democracy, prosperity, and peace. But it is equally clear
    that there are threats to our common future that cross national lines.
    Today I want to announce new plans to address the growing problem of
    international crime.
        We all know the globe is shrinking every day with global TV
    networks, instantaneous communications over the Internet, increasing
    world travel. European nations have adopted completely opened borders,
    and many of them have already voted to create a common currency.
        The American people in general benefit greatly from the process of
    globalization, with more economic opportunities and more opportunities
    to become enriched through contact with different cultures. Our values--
    democracy, human rights, the rule of law--will ultimately prevail when
    there is free trade in ideas.
        But more porous borders, more affordable travel, more powerful
    communications increasingly also give criminals the opportunity to reach
    across borders, physically and electronically, to commit crimes and then
    retreat before they can be caught and punished. Many Americans really
    don't realize the extent to which international crime affects their
    daily lives, which is why we were so pleased to have Agent Riley with us
    today.
        Con artists, operating overseas, mail phony financial offers and
    then disappear with investor dollars--hundreds of millions of dollars'
    worth. Sometimes they lure citizens abroad and use violence to get what
    they want.

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        Car theft rings move stolen vehicles across the border--200,000 a
    year, worth about a billion dollars--resulting in higher insurance costs
    for all Americans.
        As Agent Riley's remarks suggest, cybercriminals can use computers
    to raid our banks, run up charges on our credit cards, extort money by
    threats to unleash computer viruses.
        Smugglers engage in port running--speeding vehicles past our border
    points--putting people in danger and aiding the thriving trade in gangs,
    drugs, and guns. Others smuggle people across our border for
    prostitution and jobs in illegal sweatshops.
        Two-thirds of counterfeit U.S. money--two-thirds--is printed
    overseas. Illegal copying of our products costs us jobs and tens of
    billions in revenue. Spies seek important industrial secrets, and worse,
    materials to make nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons.
        Up to $500 billion in criminal proceeds every single year, more than
    the GNP of most nations, is laundered, disguised as legitimate revenue,
    and much of it moves across our borders. International crime rings
    intimidate weak governments and threaten democracy. They murder judges,
    journalists, witnesses, and kidnappers and terrorists have attacked
    Americans abroad and even at home with brutal acts like the World Trade
    Center bombing.
        Wrongdoing flows two ways. U.S. criminals also operate across
    borders, victimizing people in other nations. All these activities
    threaten our common safety and prosperity. To combat them, we must act
    broadly, decisively, consistent with our constitutional values to leave
    criminals no place to run, no place to hide.
        The job of law enforcement officials behind me, from 12 different
    agencies, is to protect the American people from crime. But the job of
    our Congress, and my job, is to give these officers the tools they need
    to do the job.
        Therefore, today I announce for the first time a comprehensive
    international crime control strategy for America. At its core is a
    simple but compelling truth: International crime requires an
    international response. America is prepared to act alone when it must,
    but no nation can control crime by itself anymore. We must create a
    global community of crimefighters, dedicated to protecting the innocent
    and to bringing to justice the offenders.
        This week, nations at the G-8 summit will announce significant new
    joint anticrime activities. But let me tell you what I plan to do
    already by taking better advantage of existing laws and asking Congress
    for new legislation.
        First, we will work with other nations to create a worldwide dragnet
    capability to promptly arrest and extradite fugitives from justice. Our
    bill asks for wider authority so America can extradite more suspected
    criminals. We'll also press for international cooperations so criminals
    will forfeit their ill-gotten gains.
        Second, because none of us is safe if criminals find safe havens
    abroad, we'll work to ensure other nations are also ready to fight
    international crime--with global standards and goals, training and
    technical aid, and programs to modernize criminal laws elsewhere.
        Third, we will work with our allies to share information on growing
    crime syndicates, to better derail their schemes. And we will work with
    industries to protect against computer crime.
        Fourth, we will put more law enforcement personnel abroad, to aid
    our Embassies in identifying criminals before they attack Americans. And
    I'm seeking new authority to prosecute more violent offenses against
    Americans overseas.
        Fifth, we will strengthen border security, with 1,000 new Border
    Patrol Agents, new technologies, and stiffer penalties, to put more
    smuggling rings out of business. I also want tough new sentences for
    port runners and for smugglers who refuse to stop for our Coast Guard.
        Sixth, I will ask Congress to enact strict provisions to bar drug
    and arms traffickers and fugitives from justice from entering our
    country and to expel them if they do come here.
        Finally, I will seek new authority to fight money laundering and
    freeze the U.S. assets of people arrested abroad. And we'll improve
    enforcement of existing laws against counterfeiting and industrial
    espionage.
        To focus our efforts, we will complete within 6 months a
    comprehensive analysis of the threat Americans face from international
    crime. I've asked Vice President Gore to
    organize a global meeting to set a common agenda for fighting corruption
    and strengthening the rule of law. Some of the criminals have
    sophisticated tools, so ours must be also. They can form temporary
    cross-border alliances, based on greed and self-interest, so we must
    strengthen the community of nations based on a community of values.

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        They care about no one but themselves, while we care so deeply about
    our children and their future. It is our most profound strength, the
    strength that will allow us to prevail. For we cannot, we must not, we
    will not accept a world in which American children and children abroad
    grow up paralyzed by crime, fear, and violence.
        Together, America and our allies can attack this scourge and build a
    secure and prosperous future for all our people. Again, let me say to
    all of you, especially to the law enforcement officers here, I thank you
    very, very much. Thank you.

    Note: The President spoke at 10:22 a.m. in Room 450 of the Old Executive
    Office Building. In his remarks, he referred to Agent Mary Riley,
    Assistant to the Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Secret Service; and Mayor
    Marion S. Barry, Jr., of Washington, DC.