FOR THE RECORD: Bilateral treaty on legal assistance (11/19/00)

FOR THE RECORD

Bilateral treaty on legal assistance

The State Department issued the following statement on October 20 noting Senate approval of the U.S.-Ukraine Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT), under which the two countries will be able to provide each other with evidence and other assistance in criminal investigations and proceedings. The Statement was delivered by Richard Boucher, spokesman of the State Department.

On October 18, 2000 the Senate approved the U.S.-Ukraine Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty, signed by both parties on July 22, 1998. The treaty will enter into force after it is ratified by President [Bill] Clinton and the two governments exchange the instruments of ratification. Ukraine ratified the treaty on September 8, 2000.

The treaty provides a formal intergovernmental mechanism through which the U.S. and Ukraine can provide evidence and other forms of law enforcement assistance to each other in criminal investigations and proceedings.

The different forms of assistance provided for under the treaty are comparable to those contained in other U.S. legal assistance treaties. They include serving documents, executing requests for searches and seizures, transferring persons in custody for testimony or other purposes, taking the testimony of witnesses at the request of either state, providing documents and records, and assisting in forfeiture of assets. The Treaty will expand and strengthen the scope of our law enforcement cooperation with Ukraine.

Our Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties are major building blocks in the U.S. strategy for investigating and prosecuting transnational criminals.

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