[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 35, Number 45 (Monday, November 15, 1999)]
[Page 2341]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Message to the Senate Transmitting the Ukraine-United States Treaty on 
Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters With Documentation

November 10, 1999

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 Ukraine on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters 
with Annex, signed at Kiev on July 22, 1998. I transmit also, for the 
information of the Senate, an exchange of notes which was signed on 
September 30, 1999, which provides for its provisional application, as 
well as 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. The Treaty is self-executing. It 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; transferring persons 
in custody for testimony or other purposes; executing requests for 
searches and seizures; assisting in proceedings related to restraint, 
confiscation, forfeiture of assets, restitution, 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,
November 10, 1999.

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