[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 38, Number 43 (Monday, October 28, 2002)]
[Pages 1819-1820]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Statement on Signing the Sudan Peace Act

October 21, 2002

    I have today signed into law H.R. 5531, the ``Sudan Peace Act.'' 
This Act demonstrates the clear resolve of the United States to promote 
a lasting, just peace; human rights; and freedom from persecution for 
the people of Sudan. The Act is designed to help address the evils 
inflicted on the people of Sudan by their government--including 
senseless suffering, use of emergency food relief as a weapon of war, 
and the practice of slavery--and to press the parties, and in particular 
the Sudanese Government, to complete in good faith the negotiations to 
end the war.
    Section 6(b) of the Act purports to direct or burden the conduct of 
negotiations by the executive branch with foreign governments, 
international financial institutions, and the United Nations Security 
Council and purports to establish U.S. foreign policy objectives. The 
executive branch shall construe these provisions as advisory because 
such provisions, if construed as mandatory, would impermissibly 
interfere with the President's exercise of his constitutional 
authorities to conduct the Nation's foreign affairs, participate in 
international negotiations, and supervise the unitary executive branch.
    Several provisions of the Act purport to require executive branch 
reports to congressional committees concerning the contents of U.S. 
diplomatic advocacy, plans for U.S. diplomatic activities to achieve 
particular foreign policy objectives, and information on particular 
activities abroad. The executive branch shall construe these provisions 
in a

[[Page 1820]]

manner consistent with the President's constitutional authority to 
withhold information, the disclosure of which could impair the foreign 
relations, the national security, the deliberative processes of the 
Executive, or the performance of the Executive's constitutional duties. 
The Secretary of State will, of course, continue as a matter of comity 
to keep the Congress appropriately informed of the Nation's foreign 
affairs activities.
    A provision of the Act defines a particular entity as the 
``Government of Sudan'' for purposes of implementing the Act. The 
executive branch shall construe the Act in a manner consistent with the 
President's constitutional authority for the United States to recognize 
foreign states and to determine what constitutes the governments of such 
foreign states.
                                                George W. Bush
 The White House,
 October 21, 2002.

Note: H.R. 5531, approved October 21, was assigned Public Law No. 107-
245.