| THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
(Camp David, Maryland)
For Immediate
Release July 13, 2000
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 Government of the
United States of America and the Government of the Republic of Cyprus on
Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters, signed at Nicosia on December
20, 1999. 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
activities more effectively. Together with the Extradition Treaty Between
the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the
Republic of Cyprus, which entered into force September 14, 1999, this
Treaty will, upon entry into force, provide an effective tool to assist in
the prosecution of a wide variety of offenses, including organized crime,
terrorism, drug-trafficking offenses, and other violent crimes as well as
money laundering and other white collar crimes of particular interest to
the U.S. law enforcement community. 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 the
testimony or statements of persons; providing documents, records, and other
items; locating or identifying persons or items; serving documents;
transferring persons in custody for testimony or other purposes; executing
searches and seizures; assisting in proceedings related to immobilization
and 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,
July 13, 2000.
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