[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 249 (Thursday, December 26, 1996)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 67943-67944]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-32858]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

Office of Foreign Assets Control

31 CFR Part 596


Terrorism List Governments Sanctions Regulations; Authorization 
for Government Stipends and Scholarships for Students

AGENCY: Office of Foreign Assets Control, Treasury.

ACTION: Final rule; amendment.

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SUMMARY: This final rule amends the Terrorism List Governments 
Sanctions Regulations to generally authorize payment by the Governments 
of Syria and Sudan of stipends and scholarships for Syrian and Sudanese 
nationals studying at accredited educational institutions in the United 
States.

EFFECTIVE DATE: December 20, 1996.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Office of Foreign Assets Control, 
Department of the Treasury, Washington, DC 20220; tel.: 202/622-2520.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Electronic and Facsimile Availability

    This document is available as an electronic file on The Federal 
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fedbbs.access.gpo.gov. The document is also accessible for downloading 
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(``TEL'') in the ``Business, Trade and Labor Mall'' of the FedWorld 
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Web (Home Page) = http://www.fedworld.gov; FTP = ftp.fedworld.gov 
(192.239.92.205).

[[Page 67944]]

Additional information concerning the programs of the Office of Foreign 
Assets Control is available for downloading from the Office's Internet 
Home Page: http://www.ustreas.gov/treasury/services/fac/fac.html, or in 
fax form through the Office's 24-hour fax-on-demand service: call 202/
622-0077 using a fax machine, fax modem, or (within the United States) 
a touch-tone telephone.

Background

    On August 22, 1996, the Office of Foreign Assets Control issued the 
Terrorism List Governments Sanctions Regulations, 31 CFR part 596 (the 
``Regulations''), implementing section 321 of the Antiterrorism and 
Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996 (Pub. L. 104-132, 110 Stat. 1214, 
1254 (18 U.S.C. 2332d)). Section 596.504 authorizes U.S. persons to 
engage in all financial transactions with a terrorism list government 
that is not otherwise subject to sanctions contained in 31 CFR chapter 
V, currently the Governments of Syria and Sudan, except for a transfer 
from a terrorism list government constituting a donation to a U.S. 
person, or a payment that a U.S. person knows or has reason to know 
poses the risk of furthering terrorist acts in the United States. This 
final rule adds Sec. 596.505 to the Regulations, generally authorizing 
donations from the Governments of Syria and Sudan in the form of 
stipends and scholarships for their respective nationals enrolled as 
students in accredited educational institutions in the United States. 
Representations made by an accredited educational institution 
concerning the status of a student may be relied upon in determining 
the applicability of this general license.
    The general license contained in Sec. 596.505 was originally issued 
by the Office of Foreign Assets Control on October 24, 1996, as General 
License No. 1. General License No. 1 may continue to be relied upon for 
transactions within its scope occurring between October 24, 1996, and 
the effective date of this final rule.
    Since the Regulations involve a foreign affairs function, Executive 
Order 12886 and the provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act (5 
U.S.C. 553) requiring notice of proposed rulemaking, opportunity for 
public participation, and delay in effective date, are inapplicable. 
Because no notice of proposed rulemaking is required for this rule, the 
Regulatory FlexibilityAct (5 U.S.C. 601-612) does not apply.
    No collection of information is contained in this final rule.

List of Subjects in 31 CFR Part 596

    Administrative practice and procedure, Banking and finance, Cuba, 
Fines and penalties, Iran, Iraq, Libya, North Korea, Reporting and 
recordkeeping requirements, Syria, Sudan, Terrorism, Transfer of 
assets.
    For the reasons set forth in the preamble, 31 CFR part 596 is 
amended as follows:

PART 596--TERRORISM LIST GOVERNMENTS SANCTIONS REGULATIONS

    1. The authority citation for part 596 continues to read as 
follows:
    Authority: Pub. L. 104-132, 110 Stat. 1214, 1254 (18 U.S.C. 
2332d).

Subpart E----Licenses, Authorizations and Statements of Licensing 
Policy

    2. Section 596.505 is added to subpart E to read as follows:


Sec. 596.505  Certain transactions related to stipends and scholarships 
authorized.

    (a) United States persons are authorized to engage in all financial 
transactions with respect to stipends and scholarships covering tuition 
and related educational, living and travel expenses provided by the 
Government of Syria to Syrian nationals or the Government of Sudan to 
Sudanese nationals who are enrolled as students in an accredited 
educational institution in the United States. Representations made by 
an accredited educational institution concerning the status of a 
student maybe relied upon in determining the applicability of this 
section.
    (b) Nothing in this section authorizes a transaction prohibited by 
Sec. 596.504(a)(2).

    Dated: November 27, 1996.
R. Richard Newcomb,
Director, Office of Foreign Assets Control.
    Approved: December 3, 1996.
James E. Johnson,
Assistant Secretary (Enforcement).
[FR Doc. 96-32858 Filed 12-20-96; 2:47 pm]
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