For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
July 23, 2004
Text of a Letter from the President to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President of the Senate
July 23, 2004
Dear Mr. Speaker: (Dear Mr. President:)
Consistent with subsection 204(b) of the International Emergency
Economic Powers Act, 50 U.S.C. 1703(b) (IEEPA), I hereby report that I
have issued an Executive Order (the "order") in which, in view of
United Nations Security Council Resolutions 1521 of December 22, 2003,
and 1532 of March 12, 2004, I declared a national emergency with
respect to the threat to the foreign policy of the United States
constituted by certain actions, policies, and circumstances with
respect to Liberia. These actions, policies, and circumstances include
the undermining of Liberia's transition to democracy and the orderly
development of its political, administra-tive, and economic
institutions and resources by former Liberian President Charles Taylor
and other persons, in particular their unlawful depletion of Liberian
resources and their removal from Liberia and secreting of Liberian
funds and property. These actions, policies, and circumstances also
include the lack of universal implementation throughout Liberia of the
Comprehensive Peace Agreement signed on August 18, 2003, and the
related ceasefire. Finally, these actions, policies, and circumstances
include the link between the illicit trade in round logs and timber
products and the proliferation of and traf-ficking in illegal arms,
which perpetuate the Liberian conflict and fuel and exacerbate other
conflicts throughout West Africa.
To address this threat, I ordered that, except to the extent
provided in section 203(b)(1), (3), and (4) of IEEPA (50 U.S.C.
1702(b)(1), (3), and (4)), or regulations, orders, directives, or
licenses that may be issued pursuant to the order, all property and
interests in property of the persons listed in the annex to the order
or any person determined by the Secretary of the Treasury, in
consultation with the Secretary of State, to meet the criteria set
forth in section 1(a)(ii) of the order, are blocked.
I further ordered that, except to the extent provided in
regulations, orders, directives, or licenses that may be issued
pursuant to the order, the direct or indirect importation into the
United States of any round log or timber product originating in Liberia
is prohibited.
I have enclosed a copy of the order, which became effective at
12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time on July 23, 2004.
Sincerely,
GEORGE W. BUSH
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