[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 29, Number 42 (Monday, October 25, 1993)]
[Pages 2105-2106]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Statement by the Press Secretary on Haiti

 October 18, 1993

    The President remains gravely concerned by the persistent refusal of 
the Haitian military authorities to fulfill their commitments under the 
Governors Island Agreement and at the repression which they continue to 
carry out against the Haitian people.
    The President stated on October 15 that there are important American 
interests at stake in Haiti. We must protect American lives. We want to 
avoid a mass exodus of Haitians fleeing political persecution at great 
risk to themselves and at great potential cost and disruption to the 
United States and other nations. We want to help restore democracy in 
Haiti and thereby promote democracy throughout this hemisphere.
    Therefore, the United States is taking several measures which will 
go into effect at 11:59 p.m. tonight to ensure strict implementation of 
the U.N. oil and arms embargo against Haiti. These measures will also 
sanction those individuals who are defying the U.N. measures, acting to 
disrupt the Governors Island Agreement, and preventing the restoration 
of democracy and return of President Aristide to Haiti.
    The President is today signing an Executive order that will freeze 
the assets under U.S. jurisdiction of individuals (``Specially 
Designated Nationals'') who have obstructed the Governors Island 
Agreement or the activities of the U.N. Mission in Haiti and who are 
perpetrating or contributing to the violence. It will also cover 
individuals who are financing or providing material support to those 
taking such actions. These groups include senior military and police 
officers and the civilian attaches and their financial patrons. 
Furthermore, we will deny visas to and prohibit the entry into the 
United States of such individuals.
    The United States has deployed six Navy vessels to help enforce the 
U.N. embargo.

[[Page 2106]]

Argentina, Canada, and France also will contribute ships, and other 
countries are actively considering participation.
    The military and police authorities must understand that they have 
no future in continuing their brutal resistance to the return of 
democracy and President Aristide. The United States is determined to 
work with the U.N., the OAS, and others to oppose this repression of the 
democratic will of the Haitian people.