For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
July 15, 2002
Message 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 Kingdom of
Sweden on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters, signed at
Stockholm on December 17, 2001. 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. The Treaty should be an
effective tool to assist in the prosecution of a wide variety of
crimes, including terrorism, drug trafficking, and fraud and other
white-collar offenses. The Treaty is self-executing.
The Treaty provides for a broad range of cooperation in criminal
matters. Mutual assistance available under the Treaty includes:
locating or identifying persons or items; serving documents; taking the
testimony or statements of persons; transferring persons in custody for
testimony or other purposes; providing documents, records, and items;
executing requests for searches and seizures; assisting in proceedings
related to immobilization and forfeiture of assets and restitution;
initiating criminal proceedings in the Requested State; and any other
form of assistance consistent with the purposes of this Treaty and not
prohibited by the laws of the State from whom the assistance is
requested.
I recommend that the Senate give early and favorable consideration
to the Treaty and give its advice and consent to ratification.
GEORGE W. BUSH
THE WHITE HOUSE,
July 15, 2002.
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