[House Document 106-76]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]




106th Congress, 1st Session - - - - - - - - - - - House Document 106-76


 
A REPORT TO CONGRESS CONCERNING THE EXTENSION OF WAIVER AUTHORITY FOR 
                                BELARUS

                               __________

                             COMMUNICATION

                                  from

                   THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

                              transmitting

NOTIFICATION OF HIS DETERMINATION THAT CONTINUATION OF THE WAIVER 
  CURRENTLY IN EFFECT FOR THE REPUBLIC OF BELARUS WILL SUBSTANTIALLY 
   PROMOTE THE OBJECTIVES OF SECTION 402 OF THE TRADE ACT OF 1974, 
   PURSUANT TO 19 U.S.C. 2432 (c) AND (d)




June 7, 1999.--Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means and ordered 
                             to be printed

                               __________

                    U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
69-011                     WASHINGTON : 1999



                                           The White House,
                                          Washington, June 3, 1999.
Hon. J. Dennis Hastert,
Speaker of the House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
    Dear Mr. Speaker: I hereby transmit the document referred 
to in subsection 402(d)(1) of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended 
(the ``Act''), with respect to the continuation of a waiver of 
the application of subsections (a) and (b) of section 402 of 
the Act. This document constitutes my recommendation to 
continue in effect this waiver for a further 12-month period, 
and includes my determination that continuation of the waiver 
currently in effect for the Republic of Belarus will 
substantially promote the objectives of section 402 of the Act. 
I will submit separate reports with respect to Vietnam and the 
People's Republic of China.
            Sincerely,
                                                William J. Clinton.
  Report to Congress Concerning the Extension of Waiver Authority for 
                                Belarus

    Pursuant to subsection 402(d)(1) of the Trade Act of 1974, 
as amended (``the Act''), I hereby recommend further extension 
of the waiver authority granted by subsection 402(c) of the Act 
for twelve months. I have determined that such extension will 
substantially promote the objectives of section 402 of the Act, 
and that continuation of the waiver currently applicable to the 
Republic of Belarus will also substantially promote the 
objectives of section 402 of the Act. My determination is 
attached and is incorporated herein.
    The waiver authority conferred by section 402 of the Act 
has permitted the United Sates to conclude and maintain in 
force, or to seek to conclude, bilateral commercial agreements 
with countries subject to Title IV of the Act, and has 
encouraged freedom of emigration in these countries. The 
reciprocal normal trade relations (NTR) trade treatment and 
other provisions of the commercial agreement with Belarus 
enhance the ability of U.S. companies to compete in the 
Belarusian market. (Waiver authority would also allow U.S. 
Government credit and investment activities in Belarus, but 
those programs have been suspended in Belarus due to the 
government's economic and human rights policies.)
    Soviet-era restrictions on emigration in Belarus have (with 
one exception, noted below) been dismantled, and existing 
restrictions are applied in a manner that allows free 
emigration. A law on entry and exit came into effect on January 
1, 1994, that abolishes the former Soviet requirement of 
mandatory official permission for each trip abroad by 
authorizing Belarusians to receive passports containing 
``global'' exit visas valid for one to five years and for 
travel to all countries. The Belarusian constitution of 
November 1996, although illegitimately adopted, nevertheless 
specifically grants citizens the right to leave an return as 
they wish. Applicants generally receive a passport and exit 
visa within two to three months of application, although 
widespread petty bribery often accelerates the processing 
period.
    Soviet-era legislation restricting emigration by those with 
access to ``state secrets'' remains in force in Belarus. 
Citizens denied permission to emigrate on this basis are 
informed at the time of denial when they may reapply (usually 
two years).
    However, this restriction does not discriminate on the 
basis of ethnic identity. None of the human rights or Jewish 
organizations in Belarus reports excessive restrictions on the 
ability of citizens to emigrate.
    I have concluded that continuing the waiver under section 
402 of the Act in effect for Belarus will help preserve the 
gains already achieved on freedom of emigration and encourage 
further progress.

                                  
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