    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2002, Book II)]
    [October 21, 2002]
    [Pages 1852-1853]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Statement on Signing the Sudan Peace Act
    October 21, 2002

        I have today signed into law H.R. 5531, the ``Sudan Peace Act.''
    This Act demonstrates the clear resolve of the United States to promote
    a lasting, just peace; human rights; and freedom from persecution for
    the people of Sudan. The Act is designed to help address the evils
    inflicted on the people of Sudan by their government--including
    senseless suffering, use of emergency food relief as a weapon of war,
    and the practice of slavery--and to press the parties, and in particular
    the Sudanese Government, to complete in good faith the negotiations to
    end the war.
        Section 6(b) of the Act purports to direct or burden the conduct of
    negotiations by the executive branch with foreign governments,
    international financial institutions, and the United Nations Security
    Council and purports to establish U.S. foreign policy objectives. The
    executive branch shall construe these provisions as advisory because
    such provisions, if construed as mandatory, would impermissibly
    interfere with the President's exercise of his constitutional
    authorities to conduct the Nation's foreign affairs, participate in
    international negotiations, and supervise the unitary executive branch.
        Several provisions of the Act purport to require executive branch
    reports to congressional committees concerning the contents of U.S.
    diplomatic advocacy, plans for U.S. diplomatic activities to achieve
    particular foreign policy objectives, and information on particular
    activities abroad. The executive branch shall construe these provisions
    in a manner consistent with the President's constitutional authority to
    withhold information, the disclosure of which could impair the foreign
    relations, the national security, the deliberative processes of the
    Executive, or the performance of the Executive's constitutional duties.
    The Secretary of State will, of course, continue as a matter of comity
    to keep the Congress

    [[Page 1853]]

    appropriately informed of the Nation's foreign affairs activities.
        A provision of the Act defines a particular entity as the
    ``Government of Sudan'' for purposes of implementing the Act. The
    executive branch shall construe the Act in a manner consistent with the
    President's constitutional authority for the United States to recognize
    foreign states and to determine what constitutes the governments of such
    foreign states.

                                                              George W. Bush

     The White House,

     October 21, 2002.

    Note: H.R. 5531, approved October 21, was assigned Public Law No. 107-
    245.