ACCESSION 
NUMBER:362380

FILE ID:TXT310

DATE:09/28/94

TITLE:U.S., RUSSIA ENTER INTO MUTUAL CUSTOMS ASSISTANCE AGREEMENT (09/28/94)

TEXT:*94092810.TXT

U.S., RUSSIA ENTER INTO MUTUAL CUSTOMS ASSISTANCE AGREEMENT

(Text: White House press release)  (330)

(The following press release on signature by the United States and the

Russian Federation of a mutual customs assistance agreement was issued by

the White House September 28, 1994.)



(begin text)

Washington -- Secretary of the Treasury Lloyd Bentsen and Antoly S. Kruglov,

chairman of the State Customs Committee of the Russian Federation, today

will sign a Customs Mutual Assistance Agreement (CMAA) that will assist the

two countries in prevention, investigation, and repression of Customs

offenses.



Occurring during the presidential signing ceremony taking place in the East

Room of the White House at 3:30 p.m., and witnessed by Presidents Clinton

and Yeltsin, the agreement provides a basis for cooperation and

investigation in the areas of commercial fraud, narcotics smuggling, and

export control, and will be mutually beneficial to the Customs

Administrations of the United States and the Russian Federation by

enhancing their abilities to enforce Customs laws.



Commenting on the agreement, U.S. Commissioner of Customs George J. Weiss

said, "The signing of this Customs Mutual Assistance Agreement begins a new

era of cooperation between the governments of the United States of America

and the Russian Federation and for our respective Customs Administrations.

International trade and criminal activity are increasing so rapidly, it is

essential for us to establish a network of agreements between Customs

agencies to share information for facilitating trade and law enforcement

purposes.  Everyone wins when we establish mechanisms for mutual

cooperation to promote international trade and to thwart criminal

activity."



U.S. domestic laws, and most foreign national law, do not permit disclosure

of much information in the absence of a formal agreement or treaty.  The

CMAA will allow U.S. Customs to exchange information, intelligence, and

other assistance with the Russian Federation.



U.S. Customs has signed Customs Mutual Assistance agreements with a number

of other countries.  As of this date, 25 have entered into force.



(end text)

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