THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

                              JOINT STATEMENT
                 BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION
                                    AND
               THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 
                ON COOPERATION IN PROMOTING THE RULE OF LAW
                            AND COMBATING CRIME

President Boris Yeltsin and President William Clinton, during their meeting in Washington on September 27 and 28, 1994, noted the threat which crime poses to the Russian and American societies and to the entire international community. Of particular concern to the Presidents was the rise in financial crime, nuclear materials smuggling, organized crime, and drug trafficking. They agreed that bilateral and international cooperative efforts would be necessary to combat this growing threat.

The Presidents noted that cooperation in law enforcement between their two countries could in a substantial way help to resolve the problem of crime and should be institutionalized through bilateral agreements. To this end, delegations from the United States and the Russian Federation held a first round of negotiations for an Agreement on Cooperation in Criminal Matters which commits each country to assist the other in criminal investigations and crime prevention. The Presidents expressed their intention to sign and bring into force as quickly as possible this Agreement. The Presidents also announced their intention to enter into negotiations for a broader Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty.

President Clinton announced the intention of the United States to offer an expanded program of assistance to the Russian Federation, including technical assistance and training of personnel to support cooperation between the Russian Federation and the United States in promoting the rule of law and combating crime.

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