25 February 1999
(Each nation must customize approach, reno says) (1000) Washington -- "Fostering international cooperation and the rule of law is one of the top priorities" of U.S. crime control strategy, says Attorney General Janet Reno. Reno, in evening remarks February 24 to an international forum on fighting corruption, said the increasing sophistication of criminal elements requires mutual access to evidence, witnesses and fugitives. New bilateral and multilateral agreements are needed "to create a seamless web for the prompt location, arrest and prosecution of international fugitives in appropriate venues," Reno told delegates from nearly 90 countries attending Vice President Al Gore's "Global Forum on Fighting Corruption and Safeguarding Integrity Among Justice and Security Officials." It is of critical importance that international criminals who corrupt public institutions and then exploit national borders to escape justice are denied safe havens, she added. "Corruption, especially judicial and law enforcement corruption, is one of the most invidious threats to the political and economic health of a nation and its peoples," Reno stated. In order to fight this threat, each country must customize its approach to the problem in a way that is "appropriately tailored to the political, legal, economic, and cultural conditions" of each country, she explained. "Ultimately the safety, freedom and economic vitality of the people" depends on how well the challenge of combating corruption is responded to, Reno said. Following is the text of Reno's remarks as prepared for delivery: (begin text) ATTORNEY GENERAL RENO'S DINNER TOAST VICE PRESIDENT GORE'S "GLOBAL FORUM ON FIGHTING CORRUPTION AND SAFEGUARDING INTEGRITY AMONG JUSTICE AND SECURITY OFFICIALS" THE BEN FRANKLIN ROOM DEPARTMENT OF STATE Washington, D.C. Wednesday, February 24, 1999 at 5:30 p.m. I am very pleased to be able to welcome such an impressive international gathering of leaders and experts from governments, multi-lateral organizations and non-governmental organizations. I am especially pleased that the reason we have come together is to discuss one of the great challenges of nations -- combating corruption and upholding integrity among judicial and security officials. Corruption, especially judicial and law enforcement corruption, is one of the most invidious threats to the political and economic health of a nation and its peoples. For the many of us in this room who are justice or law enforcement officials, the challenge is one that strikes close to home. For what we are talking about in large measure is how to police ourselves and how to maintain the integrity of the institutions we manage. At stake is not just our personal reputation, but the success and credibility of all the other things that we try to do as leaders in the fight against crime and the pursuit of justice. Ultimately the safety, freedom and economic vitality of the people we serve depends on how well we respond to the challenge of keeping our own houses clean. Although the challenge is great, there is much that we can do, both on our own and by working together. I commend to you the statement of guiding principles for fighting corruption and safeguarding integrity among justice and security officials, which has been developed for this global forum. The principles and practices set forth in that document give you an overview and a sampling of the great diversity of actions that different countries have adopted in the fight against corruption. I hope that this document will help us to establish international standards for preventing and combating governmental corruption. But as that document makes clear there is no magic answer, no one prescription that will stop the plague of judicial and law enforcement corruption in all places. We must each customize our own approaches to the problem, approaches that are comprehensive, yet appropriately tailored to the political, legal, economic, and cultural conditions of our respective countries. While there is much that we can and must do from within, so too is there much that we can and must do together. We must continue to work at the highest levels to devise and implement complementary strategies to address corruption. Most important, we must mobilize public condemnation of corruption and graft in government so that they are never viewed as acceptable practices. For the United States, fostering international cooperation and the rule of law is one of the top priorities of our international crime control strategy. We have emphasized the need for cooperative efforts between U.S. law enforcement agencies and related agencies around the globe. In the fight against judicial and police corruption, where the criminals often have a sophisticated understanding of the criminal justice system or may have ties to organized crime, there is a particularly strong need for rapid mutual access to evidence, witnesses, and fugitives as well as the other tools necessary to conduct effective criminal investigations. We also need to continue to negotiate new bilateral and multilateral agreements to create a seamless web for the prompt location, arrest and prosecution of international fugitives in appropriate venues. It is of critical importance that collectively we deny safe havens to international criminals who corrupt our public institutions and then exploit national borders to escape justice and enjoy their ill gotten gains. Finally, let me emphasize the importance of gatherings such as this which afford us an opportunity to learn from each other, to heighten international awareness of this issue, and generate some of the political energy needed to continue the campaign against corruption on both the domestic and the international fronts. I hope that this global forum will mark the beginning of regular international gatherings at senior levels to follow through on the things we say and do here this week. With those thoughts in mind, I would ask that you all join me in a toast to our collective fight against corruption. May we continue to work together, creatively and energetically, with resolve and wisdom, to strengthen the rule of law and lay a foundation for a new era of clean, honest and efficient government. (end text)