For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
July 29, 2004
Text of a Letter from the President to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President of the Senate
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 (this "order") in which I terminate the
national emergency declared in Executive Order 12722 of August 2, 1990,
amend Executive Order 13290 of March 20, 2003, and take additional
steps regarding the national emergency I declared in Executive Order
13303 of May 22, 2003, and expanded in Executive Order 13315 of August
28, 2003. I have determined that the situations that gave rise to
these national emergencies have been significantly altered by the
removal of the regime of Saddam Hussein and other developments.
Executive Order 12722 of August 2, 1990, imposed sanctions on Iraq
in response to its invasion of Kuwait and other actions. Those
sanctions were modified in Executive Order 12724 of August 9, 1990, in
light of United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 661 of
August 6, 1990, which also imposed sanctions on Iraq. I have
determined that the removal of the regime of Saddam Hussein warrants
the termination altogether of the national emergency declared in
Executive Order 12722. This action is consistent with United Nations
Security Council Resolutions 1483 and 1546, of May 22, 2003, and June
8, 2004, respectively, which substantially lifted the multilateral
economic sanctions against Iraq.
Although I am terminating the national emergency declared in
Executive Order 12722, pursuant to my authority under IEEPA, I am
continuing for the near future certain prohibitions with respect to
property previously blocked pursuant to Executive Orders 12722 and
12724. Such prohibitions are necessary on account of claims involving
Iraq.
Consistent with section 203(a)(1)(C) of IEEPA, 50 U.S.C.
1702(a)(1)(C), in Executive Order 13290 of March 20, 2003, I ordered
that certain blocked funds held in the United States in accounts in the
name of the Government of Iraq, the Central Bank of Iraq, Rafidain
Bank, Rasheed Bank, or the State Organization for Marketing Oil be
confiscated and vested in the Department of the Treasury. I originally
exercised these authorities in furtherance of Executive Order 12722.
In light of the changed circumstances in Iraq, and my decision to
terminate the national emergency declared in Executive Order 12722, I
have now determined that the exercise of authorities in Executive Order
13290 should continue in order to address the national emergency I
declared in Executive Order 13303 of May 22, 2003, and expanded in
Executive Order 13315 of August 28, 2003, regarding the obstacles posed
to the orderly reconstruction of Iraq. This order amends Executive
Order 13290 to that effect.
In Executive Order 13303 of May 22, 2003, I declared a national
emergency to address the unusual and extraordinary threat to the
national security and foreign policy of the United States posed by
obstacles to the orderly reconstruction of Iraq, the restoration and
maintenance of peace and security in that country, and the development
of political, administrative, and economic institutions in Iraq. I
expanded that emergency in Executive Order 13315 of August 28, 2003, in
light of UNSCR 1483 of May 22, 2003, in which the Security Council
decided that states shall freeze the assets of the former Iraqi regime,
Saddam Hussein, and other senior officials of the former Iraqi regime,
and their immediate family members, among others, and cause the
transfer of certain of those assets to the Development Fund for Iraq.
Executive Order 13315 implements this provision of UNSCR 1483.
This order further modifies the actions taken to address the
national emergency declared in Executive Order 13303, as expanded in
Executive Order 13315, by amending the Annex to Executive Order 13315
to include certain persons determined to have been subject to economic
sanctions pursuant to Executive Orders 12722 and 12724. Because of
their association with the prior Iraqi regime, I have determined that
these persons present an obstacle to the orderly reconstruction of
Iraq, the restoration and maintenance of peace and security in that
country, and the development of political, administrative, and economic
institutions in Iraq and, therefore, I have determined that such
persons should be subject to sanctions under Executive Order 13315.
Additionally, in UNSCR 1483, the Security Council decided that
states shall take appropriate steps to facilitate the safe return to
Iraqi institutions of Iraqi cultural property or other items of
archeological, historical, cultural, rare scientific, and religious
importance that were illegally removed from the Iraq National Museum,
the National Library, and other locations in Iraq since August 6, 1990,
including by establishing a prohibition on trade in or transfer of such
items and items with respect to which reasonable suspicion exists that
they have been illegally removed. This order, among other actions,
implements this international legal obligation.
I have delegated to the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation
with the Secretary of State, the authority to take such actions,
including the promulgation of rules and regulations, and to employ all
powers granted to me by IEEPA and the United Nations Participation Act
of 1945, as amended, as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of
this order. The Secretary of the Treasury may redelegate any of these
functions to other officers and agencies of the United States
Government consistent with applicable law. I have directed all
agencies of the United States Government to take all appropriate
measures within their authority to carry out the provisions of this
order.
I have enclosed a copy of this order, which became effective at
12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time on July 30, 2004.
Sincerely,
GEORGE W. BUSH
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