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 Belize on Mutual
Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters, signed at Belize on September 19,
2000, and a related exchange of notes signed at Belize on September 18
and 22, 2000. 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 drug traf-ficking, money laundering, and terrorism
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:
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 immobilization and forfeiture of assets,
restitution to the victims of crime and collection of fines; and any
other form of assistance 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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