[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 33, Number 28 (Monday, July 14, 1997)]
[Page 1039]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Message to the Senate Transmitting the Poland-United States Mutual Legal 
Assistance Treaty

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 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.