[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 41, Number 43 (Monday, October 31, 2005)]
[Pages 1609-1610]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Message to the Senate Transmitting the United Nations Convention Against 
Corruption

October 27, 2005

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 United Nations Convention Against 
Corruption (the ``Corruption Convention''), which was adopted by the 
United Nations General Assembly on October 31, 2003. I also transmit, 
for the information of the Senate, the report of the Secretary of State 
with respect to the Corruption Convention, with an enclosure.
    The international fight against corruption is an important foreign 
policy priority for the United States. Corruption hinders sustainable 
development, erodes confidence in democratic institutions, and 
facilitates transnational crime and terrorism. The Convention will be an 
effective tool to assist in the growing global effort to combat 
corruption.
    The U.N. Corruption Convention is the first global multilateral 
treaty to comprehensively address the problems relating to corruption. 
It provides for a broad range of cooperation, including extradition and 
mutual legal assistance, and commits governments to take measures that 
will prevent corruption from happening in the first place. The 
Corruption Convention includes provisions to criminalize and prevent 
corruption and provides procedures for governments to recover assets 
that have been illicitly acquired by corrupt officials.
    The provisions of the Corruption Convention are explained in the 
accompanying report of the Department of State. The report also sets 
forth proposed reservations that would be deposited by the United States 
with

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its instrument of ratification. With these reservations, the Convention 
will not require implementing legislation for the United States.
    I recommend that the Senate give early and favorable consideration 
to the Corruption Convention and give its advice and consent to its 
ratification, subject to the reservations, understandings, and 
declarations described in the accompanying report of the Department of 
State.
                                                George W. Bush
 The White House,
 October 27, 2005.