[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 29 (Friday, February 11, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-3225]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: February 11, 1994]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

Office of Foreign Assets Control

 

Termination of Restrictions on Importation of, and Certification 
Requirements for, Nickel and Nickel-Bearing Materials Originating in 
the Soviet Union or Its Successor States

AGENCY: Office of Foreign Assets Control, Treasury.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Office of Foreign Assets Control is lifting its 1983 ban 
on the importation into the United States of unfabricated nickel and 
nickel-bearing materials from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics 
(the ``USSR'') and its successor states. In light of this action, the 
Office of Foreign Assets Control is also eliminating the administrative 
procedure established in 1990, whereby certain nickel and nickel-
bearing materials originating in the Russian Republic of the USSR could 
be imported only if accompanied by special certificates of origin 
issued by VVO Raznoimport.
DATES: February 8, 1994.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gloria G. Brown, Sanctions Program 
Officer (tel.: 202/622-2500), or William B. Hoffman, Chief Counsel 
(tel.: 202/622-2410), Office of Foreign Assets Control, Department of 
the Treasury, Washington, DC 20220.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Electronic Availability

    This document is available as an electronic file on The Federal 
Bulletin Board the day of publication in the Federal Register. By modem 
dial 202/512-1387 or call 202/512-1530 for disks or paper copies. This 
file is available in Postscript, WordPerfect 5.1 and ASCII.

Background

    On November 23, 1983, the Office of Foreign Assets Control 
announced a ban on the importation into the United States of nickel and 
nickel-bearing materials (``nickel'') from the USSR. 48 FR 53006. The 
ban was imposed because it was believed that nickel of Cuban origin was 
contained in nickel exported from the Russian Republic of the USSR to 
the United States. The importation of Cuban nickel is prohibited under 
the Cuban Assets Control Regulations, 31 CFR part 515 (the 
``Regulations'').
    On June 28, 1990, pursuant to an exchange of letters between the 
Government of the USSR and the Government of the United States, a 
procedure was established to permit the importation into the United 
States of certain nickel from two complexes in Russia. Nickel produced 
in the Russian Republic of the USSR by the Norilsk Mining and 
Metallurgical Plant and the Nickel Industrial Amalgamation at 
Monchegorsk could be imported, provided that each shipment was 
accompanied by a certificate of origin issued by VVO Raznoimport as 
specified in the exchange of letters. Notice concerning the requirement 
for certificates of origin was published on July 20, 1990. 55 FR 29704; 
see also Regulations, Sec. 515.536(c).
    Following consultation between the Department of the Treasury and 
the Department of State, it was determined that these import 
restrictions could both be eliminated in light of changed circumstances 
in the Russian Republic after the breakup of the USSR. In particular, 
because Russia has reduced its importation of Cuban-origin nickel 
significantly and patterns of trade indicate that such imports are not 
reexported, permitting the importation of nickel from the successor 
states to the USSR will have no weakening effect on the U.S. embargo of 
Cuba. The United States continues its firm commitment to rigorous 
enforcement of the Regulations.

    Dated: January 13, 1994.
R. Richard Newcomb,
Director, Office of Foreign Assets Control.
    Approved: January 19, 1994.
John P. Simpson,
Deputy Assistant Secretary (Regulatory, Tariff & Trade Enforcement).
[FR Doc. 94-3225 Filed 2-8-94; 11:47 am]
BILLING CODE 4810-25-F