    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: WILLIAM J. CLINTON (2000, Book I)]
    [May 25, 2000]
    [Pages 1029-1031]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Message to the Congress on Continuation of the National Emergency With
    Respect to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro),
    the Bosnian Serbs, and Kosovo
    May 25, 2000

    To the Congress of the United States:
        Section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622(d))
    provides for the automatic termination of a national emergency unless,
    prior to the anniversary date of its declaration, the President
    publishes in the Federal Register and transmits to the Congress a notice
    stating that the emergency is to continue in effect beyond the
    anniversary date. In accordance with this provision, I have sent the
    enclosed notice

    [[Page 1030]]

    to the Federal Register for publication, stating that the emergency
    declared with respect to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and
    Montenegro), as expanded to address the actions and policies of the
    Bosnian Serb forces and the authorities in the territory that they
    control within Bosnia and Herzegovina, is to continue in effect beyond
    May 30, 2000, and the emergency declared with respect to the situation
    in Kosovo is to continue in effect beyond June 9, 2000.
        On December 27, 1995, I issued Presidential Determination 96-7,
    directing the Secretary of the Treasury, inter alia, to suspend the
    application of sanctions imposed on the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
    (Serbia and Montenegro) and to continue to block property previously
    blocked until provision is made to address claims or encumbrances,
    including the claims of the other successor states of the former
    Yugoslavia. This sanctions relief, in conformity with United Nations
    Security Council Resolution 1022 of November 22, 1995 (hereinafter the
    ``Resolution''), was an essential factor motivating Serbia and
    Montenegro's acceptance of the General Framework Agreement for Peace in
    Bosnia and Herzegovina initialed by the parties in Dayton on November
    21, 1995, and signed in Paris on December 14, 1995 (hereinafter the
    ``Peace Agreement''). The sanctions imposed on the Federal Republic of
    Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro) were accordingly suspended
    prospectively, effective January 16, 1996. Sanctions imposed on the
    Bosnian Serb forces and authorities and on the territory that they
    control within Bosnia and Herzegovina were subsequently suspended
    prospectively, effective May 10, 1996, also in conformity with the Peace
    Agreement and the Resolution.
        Sanctions against both the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia
    and Montenegro) and the Bosnian Serbs were subsequently terminated by
    United Nations Security Council Resolution 1074 of October 1, 1996. This
    termination, however, did not end the requirement of the Resolution that
    blocked those funds and assets that are subject to claims and
    encumbrances until unblocked in accordance with applicable law.
        Until the status of all remaining blocked property is resolved, the
    Peace Agreement implemented, and the terms of the Resolution met, this
    situation continues to pose a continuing unusual and extraordinary
    threat to the national security, foreign policy interests, and the
    economy of the United States. For these reasons, I have determined that
    it is necessary to maintain in force these emergency authorities beyond
    May 30, 2000.
        On June 9, 1998, I issued Executive Order 13088, ``Blocking Property
    of the Governments of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and
    Montenegro), the Republic of Serbia, and the Republic of Montenegro, and
    Prohibiting New Investment in the Republic of Serbia in Response to the
    Situation in Kosovo.'' Despite months of preparatory consultations and
    negotiations, representatives of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
    (Serbia and Montenegro) in March 1999, completely blocked agreement on
    an internationally backed proposal for a political solution to the
    Kosovo crisis. Yugoslav forces reinforced positions in the province
    during the March negotiation and, as negotiations failed, intensified
    the ethnic cleansing of Albanians from Kosovo. Yugoslav security and
    paramilitary forces thereby created a humanitarian crisis in which
    approximately half of Kosovo's population of 2 million had been
    displaced from the province and an unknown but apparently large portion
    of the remaining population had been displaced within Kosovo by mid-
    April.
        On April 30, 1999, I issued Executive Order 13121, ``Blocking
    Property of the Governments of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
    (Serbia and Montenegro), the Republic of Serbia, and the Republic of
    Montenegro, and Prohibiting Trade Transactions Involving the Federal
    Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro) in Response to the
    Situation in Kosovo.'' Executive Order 13121 revises and supplements
    Executive Order 13088 to expand the blocking regime by revoking an
    exemption for certain financial transactions provided in Executive Order
    13088; to impose a general ban on all U.S. exports and reexports to and
    imports from the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro)
    (the ``FRY (S&M)'') or the Governments of the FRY (S&M), the Republic of
    Serbia, or the Republic of Montenegro; and to prohibit any transaction
    or dealing by a U.S. person related to trade with or to the FRY (S&M) or
    the Governments of the FRY (S&M), the Republic of Serbia, or the
    Republic of Montenegro. In addition, Executive Order 13121 directs that
    special consideration be given to Montenegro and the humanitarian needs
    of refugees from Kosovo and other civilians within the FRY

    [[Page 1031]]

    (S&M) in the implementation of the Order. Finally, Executive Order 13121
    also supplements Executive Order 13088 to direct that the commercial
    sales of agricultural commodities and products, medicine, and medical
    equipment for civilian end-use in the FRY (S&M) be authorized subject to
    appropriate safeguards to prevent diversion to military, paramilitary,
    or political use by the Governments of the FRY (S&M), the Republic of
    Serbia, or the Republic of Montenegro.
        This situation continues to pose a continuing unusual and
    extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy interests,
    and the economy of the United States. For these reasons, I have
    determined that it is necessary to maintain in force these emergency
    authorities beyond June 9, 2000.

                                                          William J. Clinton

    The White House,

    May 25, 2000.

    Note: The notice is listed in Appendix D at the end of this volume.