DSR 11C
Convention on Mutual Assistance; both texts have
been used as primary sources for the Working
Group's deliberations. The Working Group has also
considered what measures would be needed for the
UK to participate in the proposed Commonwealth
Scheme on Mutual Legal Assistance.
They hope to
report to Ministers at the end of July.
However,
it is likely to be some time, possibly up to three
years, before the Parliamentary timetable can
allow for the necessary legislation to be
introduced.
In the meanwhile, HMG is seeking to enter into
reciprocal agreements with designated countries to
trace, freeze and confiscate the proceeds of drug
trafficking using the powers created by the Drug
Trafficking Offences Act. We have negotiated the
text of an agreement with the US. We have also
approached more than 20 other countries including
all our EC partners and some Commonwealth
countries including Canada and Australia with a
view to entering into an agreement. I enclose a
copy of the latest draft of the Agreement which is
in the last stages of negotiation with the US.
You may like to know that we have run into some
difficulties with this agreement because the US
authorities are refusing to accept any limitations
on their ability to compel the production of
documents located in the UK using domestic US
legal proceedings.
We have always regarded such