    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2006, Book II)]
    [September 29, 2006]
    [Pages 1739-1740]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Message to the Senate Transmitting the Estonia-United States Extradition
    Treaty
    September 29, 2006

    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 Extradition Treaty between the
    United States of America and
    the Government of the Republic of Estonia, signed on February 8, 2006,
    at Tallinn. I also transmit, for the information of the Senate, the
    report of the Department of State with respect to the treaty.

    [[Page 1740]]

        The new extradition treaty with Estonia would replace the outdated
    extradition treaty between the United States and Estonia, signed on
    November 8, 1923, at Tallinn, and the Supplementary Extradition Treaty,
    signed on October 10, 1934, at Washington. The treaty also fulfills the
    requirement for a bilateral instrument between the United States and
    each European Union (EU) Member State in order to implement the
    Extradition Agreement between the United States and the EU. Two other
    comprehensive new extradition treaties with EU Member States--Latvia and
    Malta--likewise also serve as the requisite bilateral instruments
    pursuant to the U.S.-EU Agreement, and therefore also are being
    submitted separately and individually.
        The treaty follows generally the form and content of other
    extradition treaties recently concluded by the United States. It would
    replace an outmoded list of extraditable offenses with a modern ``dual
    criminality'' approach, which would enable extradition for such offenses
    as money laundering and other newer offenses not appearing on the list.
    The treaty also contains a modernized ``political offense'' clause. It
    further provides that extradition shall not be refused based on the
    nationality of the person sought; in the past, Estonia has declined to
    extradite its nationals to the United States. Finally, the new treaty
    incorporates a series of procedural improvements to streamline and speed
    the extradition process.
        I recommend that the Senate give early and favorable consideration
    to the treaty.

                                                              George W. Bush

     The White House,

     September 29, 2006.

    Note: This message was released by the Office of the Press Secretary on
    October 2.