FOR THE RECORD: Ukraine's efforts to combat corruption (04/09/00)

FOR THE RECORD: Ukraine's efforts to combat corruption

Following are excerpts from the statement delivered by Rob Boone, deputy assistant secretary of state, Bureau for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, at the March 23 hearing before the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe.

The U.S. has a keen interest in supporting the development of the rule of law in Ukraine. The secretary of state has identified Ukraine as one of four democracies deserving of particular attention this year. The others are Nigeria, Indonesia and Colombia.

Official corruption is perceived to be widespread in Ukraine. President [Leonid] Kuchma has repeatedly expressed concern about the societal threats posed by organized crime and narcotics in Ukraine and has criticized the control efforts of law enforcement and judicial authorities.

The task of reformers in Ukraine remains daunting. Key pieces of legislation, such as an anti-money laundering law, a criminal procedure code, and civil and ethics codes have yet to be enacted. A transparency program developed two years ago under the auspices of the World Bank remains largely unimplemented, although some progress has been made in the procurement area and on business licensing.

Ukraine has taken some actions to address the threat of organized crime and corruption. Ukraine attended the First Global Forum on Fighting Corruption in February 1999 and will also attend the regional conference later this month in Bucharest. In September 1999 the United States and Ukraine signed diplomatic notes that allow for provisional application of a bilateral Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT). The MLAT now serves as a framework for legal assistance and cooperation between our two countries in the areas of the investigation, prosecution and prevention of crime. The MLAT has been approved by the Ukrainian [Verkhovna] Rada. We await Senate advice and consent to ratification on our side.

We are also working with Ukraine in our bilateral Law Enforcement Working Group (LEWG) to develop an action plan to address issues involving trafficking in women and children, intellectual property rights, organized crime, financial crimes and corruption.

Recently the FBI hosted a delegation of Ukrainian law enforcement officials in San Francisco for the U.S.-Ukrainian Organized Crime Conference. This conference, which was also attended by numerous U.S. law enforcement officials and prosecutors, gave officials on both sides an opportunity to review our progress in ongoing investigations and to plan cooperation in future cases.

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