    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2008, Book I)]
    [June 24, 2008]
    [Page 867]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Message to the Congress on Continuation of the National Emergency With
    Respect to the Western Balkans
    June 24, 2008

    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 to the Federal Register for publication stating that the
    Western Balkans emergency is to continue in effect beyond June 26, 2008.
        The crisis constituted by the actions of persons engaged in, or
    assisting, sponsoring, or supporting (i) extremist violence in the
    Republic of Macedonia and elsewhere in the Western Balkans region, or
    (ii) acts obstructing implementation of the Dayton Accords in Bosnia or
    United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244 of June 10, 1999, in
    Kosovo, that led to the declaration of a national emergency on June 26,
    2001, in Executive Order 13219 and to Executive Order 13304 of May 28,
    2003, has not been resolved. The acts of extremist violence and
    obstructionist activity outlined in Executive Order 13219, as amended,
    are hostile to U.S. interests and pose a continuing unusual and
    extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the
    United States. For these reasons, I have determined that it is necessary
    to continue the national emergency declared with respect to the Western
    Balkans and maintain in force the comprehensive sanctions to respond to
    this threat.

                                                              George W. Bush

     The White House,

     June 24, 2008.

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