[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 175 (Tuesday, September 10, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55326-55327]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-22032]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 8460]


Determinations Regarding Use of Chemical Weapons in Syria Under 
the Chemical and Biological Weapons Control and Warfare Elimination Act 
of 1991

AGENCY: Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation, 
Department of State.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The United States Government has determined on August 2, 
pursuant to Section 306(a) of the Chemical and Biological Weapons 
Control and Warfare Elimination Act of 1991, 22 U.S.C. 5604(a), that 
the Government of Syria has used chemical weapons in violation of 
international law or lethal chemical weapons against its own nationals. 
In addition, the United States Government has determined and certified 
to Congress pursuant to section 307(d) of the Act (22 U.S.C. 5605(d)) 
that it is essential to the national security interests of the United 
States to partially waive the application of the sanctions required 
under Section 307(a) of the Act (22 U.S.C. 5605(a)) with respect to 
activities in furtherance of United States policies regarding the 
Syrian conflict. The following is notice of sanctions to be imposed 
pursuant to Section 307(a) of the Act (22 U.S.C. 5605(a)), subject to 
the waiver described above.

DATES: Effective Date: Upon publication in the Federal Register.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Pamela K. Durham, Office of Missile, 
Biological, and Chemical Nonproliferation, Bureau of International 
Security and Nonproliferation, Department of State, Telephone (202) 
647-4930.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to Sections 306(a), 307(a), and 
307(d) of the Chemical and Biological Weapons Control and Warfare 
Elimination Act of 1991, as amended (22 U.S.C. 5604(a) and 5605(a)), on 
August 2, 2013 the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs: (1) 
Determined that the Government of Syria has used chemical weapons in 
violation of international law or lethal chemical weapons against its 
own nationals; and (2) determined and certified to Congress that it is 
essential to the national security interests of the United States to 
partially waive the application of the sanctions required under Section 
307(a) with respect to certain activities determined by the United 
States Government to be in furtherance of United States policies 
regarding the Syrian conflict. As a result, the following sanctions are 
hereby imposed, subject to waivers as described above:
    1. Foreign Assistance: Termination of assistance to Syria under the 
Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, except for urgent humanitarian 
assistance and food or other agricultural commodities or products.
    2. Arms Sales: Termination of (a) sales to Syria under the Arms 
Export Control Act of any defense articles, defense services, or design 
and construction services, and (b) licenses for the export to Syria of 
any item on the United States Munitions List.
    3. Arms Sales Financing: Termination of all foreign military 
financing for Syria under the Arms Export Control Act.
    4. Denial of United States Government Credit or Other Financial 
Assistance: Denial to Syria of any credit, credit guarantees, or other 
financial assistance by any department, agency, or instrumentality of 
the United States Government, including the Export-Import Bank of the 
United States.
    5. Exports of National Security-Sensitive Goods and Technology:

[[Page 55327]]

Prohibition on the export to Syria of any goods or technology on that 
part of the control list established under section 2404(c)(1) of the 
Appendix to Title 50.
    Determinations that activities are in furtherance of United States 
policies regarding the Syrian conflict, and thus the application of the 
above sanctions is excepted, will be made on a case-by-case basis with 
the involvement of the Department of State, using existing interagency 
procedures to the maximum extent possible. These measures shall be 
implemented by the responsible departments and agencies of the United 
States Government and will remain in place for at least one year or 
until further notice.

    Dated: September 4, 2013.
 Thomas M. Countryman,
Assistant Secretary of State for International Security and 
Nonproliferation.
[FR Doc. 2013-22032 Filed 9-9-13; 8:45 am]
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