For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
October 2, 2006

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 Extradition Treaty between the United States of America and the Government of Malta, signed on May 18, 2006, at Valletta, that includes an exchange of letters that is an integral part of the treaty. I also transmit, for the information of the Senate, the report of the Department of State with respect to the treaty.

The new extradition treaty with Malta would replace the outdated extradition treaty between the United States and Great Britain, signed on December 22, 1931, at London, and made applicable to Malta on June 24, 1935. The treaty also fulfills the requirement for a bilateral instrument between the United States and each European Union (EU) Member State in order to implement the Extradition Agreement between the United States and the EU. Two other comprehensive new extradition treaties with EU Member States Estonia and Latvia likewise also serve as the requisite bilateral instruments pursuant to the U.S.-EU Agreement, and therefore also are being submitted separately and individually.

The treaty follows generally the form and content of other extradition treaties recently concluded by the United States. It would replace an outmoded list of extraditable offenses with a modern "dual criminality" approach, which would enable extradition for such offenses as money laundering and other newer offenses not appearing on the list. The treaty also contains a modernized "political offense" clause. It further provides that extradition shall not be refused based on the nationality of a person sought for any of a comprehensive list of serious offenses; in the past, Malta has declined to extradite its nationals to the United States. Finally, the new treaty incorporates a series of procedural improvements to streamline and speed the extradition process.

I recommend that the Senate give early and favorable consideration to the treaty.

GEORGE W. BUSH

THE WHITE HOUSE,

September 29, 2006.

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