[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 37, Number 3 (Monday, January 22, 2001)]
[Page 180]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]
<R04>
Letter to Congressional Leaders Transmitting a Report on
Emigration Policies of Certain Former Eastern Bloc States
January 17, 2001
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 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 for these countries and certain other activities without the
requirement of an annual waiver.
Pursuant to section 302(b) of Public Law 106-200, on June 29, 2000,
I determined that title IV of the 1974 Trade Act should no longer apply
to Kyrgyzstan.
As required by law, I am submitting an updated report to the
Congress concerning the emigration laws and policies of Armenia,
Azerbaijan, 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: Identical 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 January
18.