[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 36, Number 25 (Monday, June 26, 2000)]
[Pages 1429-1430]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Executive Order 13159--Blocking Property of the Government of the 
Russian Federation Relating to the Disposition of Highly Enriched 
Uranium Extracted From Nuclear Weapons

June 21, 2000

    By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and 
the laws of the United States of America, including the International 
Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.), the 
National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.), and section 301 of 
title 3, United States Code.
    I, William J. Clinton, President of the United States of America, in 
view of the policies underlying Executive Order 12938 of November 14, 
1994, and Executive Order 13085 of May 26, 1998, find that the risk of 
nuclear proliferation created by the accumulation of a large volume of 
weapons-usable fissile material in the territory of the Russian 
Federation constitutes an unusual and extraordinary threat to the 
national security and foreign policy of the United States, and hereby 
declare a national emergency to deal with that threat.
    I hereby order:
    Section 1. A major national security goal of the United States is to 
ensure that fissile material removed from Russian nuclear weapons 
pursuant to various arms control and disarmament agreements is dedicated 
to peaceful uses, subject to transparency measures, and protected from 
diversion to activities of proliferation concern. As reflected in 
Executive Order 13085, the full implementation of the Agreement Between 
the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the 
Russian Federation Concerning the Disposition of Highly Enriched Uranium 
Extracted from Nuclear Weapons, dated February 18, 1993, and related 
contracts and agreements (collectively, the ``HEU Agreements'') is 
essential to the attainment of this goal. The HEU Agreements provide for 
the conversion of approximately 500 metric tons of highly enriched 
uranium contained in Russian nuclear weapons into low-enriched uranium 
for use as fuel in commercial nuclear reactors. In furtherance of our 
national security goals, all heads of departments and agencies of the 
United States Government shall continue to take all appropriate measures 
within their authority to further the full implementation of the HEU 
Agreements.
    Sec. 2. Government of the Russian Federation assets directly related 
to the implementation of the HEU Agreements currently may be subject to 
attachment, judgment, decree, lien, execution, garnishment, or other 
judicial process, thereby jeopardizing the full implementation of the 
HEU Agreements to the detriment of U.S. foreign policy. In order

[[Page 1430]]

to ensure the preservation and proper and complete transfer to the 
Government of the Russian Federation of all payments due to it under the 
HEU Agreements, and except to the extent provided in regulations, 
orders, directives, or licenses that may hereafter be issued pursuant to 
this order, all property and interests in property of the Government of 
the Russian Federation directly related to the implementation of the HEU 
Agreements that are in the United States, that hereafter come within the 
United States, or that are or hereafter come within the possession or 
control of United States persons, including their overseas branches, are 
hereby blocked and may not be transferred, paid, exported, withdrawn, or 
otherwise dealt in. Unless licensed or authorized pursuant to this 
order, any attachment, judgment, decree, lien, execution, garnishment, 
or other judicial process is null and void with respect to any property 
or interest in property blocked pursuant to this order.
    Sec. 3. For the purposes of this order: (a) The term ``person'' 
means an individual or entity;
    (b) The term ``entity'' means a partnership, association, trust, 
joint venture, corporation, or other organization;
    (c) The term ``United States person'' means any United States 
citizen; permanent resident alien; juridical person organized under the 
laws of the United States or any jurisdiction within the United States, 
including foreign branches; or any person in the United States; and
    (d) The term ``Government of the Russian Federation'' means the 
Government of the Russian Federation, any political subdivision, agency, 
or instrumentality thereof, and any person owned or controlled by, or 
acting for or on behalf of, the Government of the Russian Federation.
    Sec. 4. (a) The Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the 
Secretary of State, the Secretary of Energy, and, as appropriate, other 
agencies, is hereby authorized to take such actions, including the 
promulgation of rules and regulations, and to employ all powers granted 
to me by IEEPA, as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this 
order. The Secretary of the Treasury may redelegate any of these 
functions to other officers and agencies of the United States 
Government. All agencies of the United States Government are hereby 
directed to take all appropriate measures within their statutory 
authority to carry out the provisions of this order.
    (b) Nothing contained in this order shall relieve a person from any 
requirement to obtain a license or other authorization from any 
department or agency of the United States Government in compliance with 
applicable laws and regulations subject to the jurisdiction of the 
department or agency.
    Sec. 5. This order is not intended to create, nor does it create, 
any right, benefit, or privilege, substantive or procedural, enforceable 
at law by a party against the United States, its agencies, officers, or 
any other person.
    Sec. 6. (a) This order is effective at 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight 
time on June 22, 2000.
    (b) This order shall be transmitted to the Congress and published in 
the Federal Register.
                                            William J. Clinton
The White House,
June 21, 2000.

[Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 8:45 a.m., June 23, 
2000]

Note: This Executive order was released by the Office of the Press 
Secretary on June 22, and it was published in the Federal Register on 
June 26.