(E-113/01) May 25, 2001   U.S. RATIFIES OAS CONVENTIONS ON LAW ENFORCEMENT COOPERATION The United States government has ratified two conventions negotiated under the auspices of the Organization of American States (OAS), committing to law enforcement cooperation with other Western Hemisphere states. Ambassador Luis Lauredo, the U.S. Permanent Representative to the OAS, today presented OAS Secretary General C�sar Gaviria with ratification documents pertaining to the Inter-American Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters and its related Optional Protocol, during a brief ceremony at Mr. Gaviria's office. The Ambassador also deposited documents of ratification of the Inter-American Convention on Serving Criminal Sentences Abroad. The United States had signed both treaties on January 10, 1995. Describing the ratification as "a step in the direction of joint effort," Ambassador Lauredo said it facilitates the exchange of information in the criminal field and is "one of the areas that unites us. We are all together in trying to fight criminality throughout the Hemisphere. "It is not significant to the United States alone. I think it is very significant to all of us in this Hemisphere who are living and navigating in this new era of shared values and shared responsibilities. Obviously this is a great accomplishment to have it ratified by the United States Senate," said Ambassador Lauredo. Under the Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters--which entered into force in April 1996, after adoption in May 1992--member states commit to cooperation on a broad range of issues including the issuing and receiving of requests and taking testimony and serving legal documents. So far, it has been ratified by Canada, Peru, United States and Venezuela. Adopted in June 1993, the Inter-American Convention on Serving Criminal Sentences Abroad entered into force in April 1996 and provides for individuals serving criminal sentences in a particular country to be transferred to their own countries to serve such sentences. Ratifying states are Brazil, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Mexico, Panama, United States and Venezuela. **********