[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 36, Number 21 (Monday, May 29, 2000)]
[Pages 1220-1221]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
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 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

[[Page 1221]]

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 (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.