[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 20 (Wednesday, January 30, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Page 6399]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-01991]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 8169]


Easing the Ban on Imports From Burma

SUMMARY: The Deputy Secretary of State has determined, pursuant to 
authority delegated by the Secretary of State, that it is in the 
national interests of the United States to waive the prohibitions 
described in section 3(a) of the Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act of 
2003 (Pub. L. 108-61), as amended (``BFDA''), which requires the 
President to prohibit the importation of any article that is a product 
of Burma into the United States, and which the President implemented in 
section 3 of Executive Order 13310 (July 28, 2003). In conjunction with 
this waiver determination, the Department of the Treasury's Office of 
Foreign Assets Control issued General License (No. 18) on November 16, 
2012 authorizing imports into the United States of any article that is 
a product of Burma, subject to limitations set forth therein.
    This step is in the national interest of the United States because 
it supports those in the Burmese government that have instituted 
important reforms since early 2011 and encourages the government to 
make further progress. The waiver of the import ban responds to the 
Government of Burma's continued reforms and efforts to address U.S. 
core concerns, including the release of political prisoners, and other 
steps on human rights and national reconciliation.

DATES: Effective Date: November 15, 2012.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John Marshall Klein, Senior Sanctions 
Officer, Economic & Business Affairs, Office of Sanctions Policy and 
Implementation, 202-647-9452.

    Dated: January 16, 2013.
Jose W. Fernandez,
Assistant Secretary for Economic and Business Affairs, Department of 
State.
[FR Doc. 2013-01991 Filed 1-29-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-07-P