Message to the Senate Transmitting the United Kingdom-United States Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty

August 4, 1987

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 United States of America and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland concerning the Cayman Islands relating to Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters, with protocol signed at Grand Cayman on July 3, 1986, and related notes. I transmit also, for the information of the Senate, the report of the Department of State with respect to the Treaty.

The Treaty concerning the Cayman Islands provides for a broad range of cooperation in criminal matters. Mutual assistance available under the Treaty includes: (1) executing requests relating to criminal matters by undertaking diligent efforts, including the necessary administrative or judicial action (e.g., for the issuance of subpoenas and search warrants), without cost to the Requesting Party; (2) taking of testimony or statements of persons by noncompulsory or compulsory measures; (3) effecting the production, preservation, and authentication of documents, records or articles of evidence; (4) providing assistance to each other in proceedings for forfeiture or restitution of proceeds of an offense or for imposing fines; (5) serving judicial documents, writs, summonses, records of judicial verdicts, and court judgments or decisions; (6) effecting the appearance of a witness before a court of the Requesting Party; (7) locating persons; and (8) providing judicial records, evidence, and information.

I recommend that the Senate give early and favorable consideration to the Treaty and give its advice and consent to ratification.

Ronald Reagan

The White House,

August 4, 1987.