For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
June 8, 2001
Presidential Proclamation: To Implement the Agreement Between the US and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam on Trade Relations
By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation
1. Pursuant to the authority vested
in the President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States,
and acting through duly empowered representatives, the United States
entered into negotiations with representatives of the Socialist
Republic of Vietnam ("Vietnam") to conclude an agreement on trade
relations between the United States and Vietnam.
2. These negotiations were
conducted in accordance with the requirements of the Trade Act of 1974,
as amended (19 U.S.C. 2431 et seq.) (the "Trade Act").
3. As a result of these
negotiations, an "Agreement Between the United States of America and
the Socialist Republic of Vietnam on Trade Relations" (the
"Agreement"), including annexes and an exchange of letters which form
an integral part of the Agreement, the foregoing in English and
Vietnamese, was signed on July 13, 2000, by duly empowered
representatives of the two Governments, and is set forth as an annex to
this proclamation.
4. The Agreement conforms to the
requirements relating to bilateral commercial agreements set forth in
section 405(b) of the Trade Act (19 U.S.C. 2435(b)).
5. Chapter VII, Article 8:1 of the
Agreement provides that the Agreement shall enter into force on the
date of exchange of written notices of acceptance by the two
Governments.
6. Section 405(c) of the Trade Act
(19 U.S.C. 2435(c)) provides that a bilateral commercial agreement
providing nondiscriminatory treatment to the products of a country
denied such treatment prior to the date of enactment of the Trade Act,
and a proclamation implementing such agreement, shall take effect only
if a joint resolution described in section 151(b)(3) of the Trade Act
(19 U.S.C. 2191(b)(3)) that approves of the Agreement is enacted into
law.
7. Section 604 of the Trade Act (19
U.S.C. 2483) authorizes the President to embody in the Harmonized
Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS) the substance of the
provisions of that Act, of other acts affecting import treatment, and
actions taken thereunder.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President
of the United States of America, acting under authority vested in me by
the Constitution and the laws of the United States, including, but not
limited to, sections 404, 405, and 604 of the Trade Act, do proclaim
that:
(1) This
proclamation shall become effective, the Agreement
shall enter into force, and nondiscriminatory treatment
shall be extended to the products of Vietnam, in accordance
with the terms of the Agreement, and after Congress approves
the Agreement by joint resolution, on the date of exchange
of written notices of acceptance in accordance with Chapter
VII, Article 8:1 of the Agreement. The United States Trade
Representative shall publish notice of the effective date in
the Federal Register.
(2) Effective
with respect to articles entered, or withdrawn
from warehouse for consumption, on or after the date
provided in paragraph (1) of this proclamation, general note
3(b) to the HTS, enumerating those countries whose products
are subject to duty at rates set forth in Rates of Duty
Column 2 of the tariff schedule, is modified by striking out
"Socialist Republic of Vietnam."
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my
hand this eighth day of June, in the year of our Lord two thousand one,
and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred
and twenty-fifth.
GEORGE
W. BUSH
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