For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
June 16, 2004
Notice Continuation of the National Emergency with Respect to the Risk of Nuclear Proliferation Created by the Accumulation of Weapons-Usable Fissile Material in the Territory of the Russian Federation
On June 21, 2000, the President issued Executive Order 13159 (the
"Order") blocking property and interests in property of the Government
of the Russian Federation that are in the United States, that hereafter
come within the United States, or that are or hereinafter come within
the possession or control of United States persons that are directly
related to the implementation of the Agreement Between the Government
of the United States of America and the Govern-ment of the Russian
Federation Concerning the Disposition of Highly Enriched Uranium
Extracted from Nuclear Weapons, dated February 18, 1993, and related
contracts and agreements (collectively, the "HEU Agreements"). The HEU
Agreements allow for the downblending of highly enriched uranium
derived from nuclear weapons to low enriched uranium for peaceful
commercial purposes. The Order invoked the authority, inter alia, of
the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, 50 U.S.C. 1701 et
seq., and declared a national emergency to deal with the unusual and
extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the
United States posed by the risk of nuclear proliferation created by the
accumulation of a large volume of weapons-usable fissile material in
the territory of the Russian Federation.
A major national security goal of the United States is to ensure
that fissile material removed from Russian nuclear weapons pursuant to
various arms control and disarmament agreements is dedicated to
peaceful uses (such as downblending to low enriched uranium for
peaceful commercial uses), subject to transparency measures, and
protected from diversion to activities of proliferation concern.
Pursuant to the HEU Agreements, weapons-grade uranium extracted from
Russian nuclear weapons is converted to low enriched uranium for use as
fuel in commercial nuclear reactors. The Order blocks and protects
from attachment, judgment, decree, lien, execution, garnishment, or
other judicial process the property and interests in property of the
Government of the Russian Federation that are directly related to the
implementation of the HEU Agreements and that are in the United States,
that hereafter come within the United States, or that are or hereafter
come within the possession or control of United States persons.
The national emergency declared on June 21, 2000, must continue
beyond June 21, 2004, to provide continued protection from attachment,
judgment, decree, lien, execution, garnishment, or other judicial
process for the property and interests in property of the Government of
the Russian Federation that are directly related to the implementation
of the HEU Agreements and subject to U.S. jurisdiction. Therefore, in
accordance with section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act (50
U.S.C. 1622(d)), I am continuing for 1 year the national emergency with
respect to weapons-usable fissile material in the territory of the
Russian Federation. This notice shall be published in the Federal
Register and transmitted to the Congress.
GEORGE W. BUSH
THE WHITE HOUSE,
June 16, 2004.
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