[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 36, Number 27 (Monday, July 10, 2000)]
[Page 1582]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Letter to Congressional Leaders Transmitting a Report on the Extension 
of Normal Trade Relations Status for Certain Former Eastern Bloc States

June 30, 2000

Dear Mr. Speaker:  (Dear Mr. President:)

    On September 21, 1994, I determined and reported to the Congress 
that the Russian Federation was not in violation of paragraph (1), (2), 
or (3) of subsection 402(a) of the Trade Act of 1974, or paragraph (1), 
(2), or (3) of subsection of the 409(a) of that Act. On June 3, 1997, I 
determined and reported to the Congress that Armenia, Azerbaijan, 
Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine were not in violation of the same 
provisions, and I made an identical determination on December 5, 1997, 
with respect to Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and 
Uzbekistan. These actions allowed for the continuation of normal trade 
relations status for these countries and certain other activities 
without the requirement of an annual waiver.
    As required by law, I am submitting an updated report to the 
Congress concerning the emigration laws and policies of Armenia, 
Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Moldova, the Russian Federation, 
Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan. The report indicates 
continued compliance of these countries with international standards 
concerning freedom of emigration.
     Sincerely,
                                            William J. Clinton

Note: Letters were sent to J. Dennis Hastert, Speaker of the House of 
Representatives, and Albert Gore, Jr., President of the Senate. This 
letter was released by the Office of the Press Secretary on July 3. An 
original was not available for verification of the content of this 
letter.