Letter from the President to the Senate: Treaty with South Africa (7/13/00)

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Letter from the President to the Senate: Treaty with South Africa (7/13/00)

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                              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 South Africa
on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters, signed at Washington on
September 16, 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 South Africa, also signed September 16, 1999, this Treaty will,
upon entry into force, provide an effective tool to assist in the
prosecution of a wide variety of offenses, including terrorism, organized
crime, 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
articles of evidence; locating or identifying persons; serving documents;
transferring persons in custody for testimony or other purposes; executing
requests for searches and seizures; assisting in proceedings related to
restraint or immobilization and confiscation or forfeiture of assets or
property, compensation or restitution, and recovery or 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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