[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 39, Number 24 (Monday, June 16, 2003)]
[Pages 744-745]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Notice--Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to the Risk 
of Nuclear Proliferation Created by the Accumulation of Weapons-Usable 
Fissile Material in the Territory of the Russian Federation

June 10, 2003

    On June 21, 2000, the President issued Executive Order 13159 (the 
``Order'') blocking property and interests in property of the Government 
of the Russian Federation that are in the United States, that hereafter 
come within the United States, or that are or hereinafter come within 
the possession or control of United States persons that are directly 
related to the 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''). The HEU 
Agreements allow for the downblending of highly enriched uranium derived 
from nuclear weapons to low enriched uranium for peaceful commercial 
purposes. The Order invoked the authority, inter alia, of the 
International Emergency Economic Powers Act, 50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq., and 
declared a national emergency to deal with the unusual and extraordinary 
threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States 
posed by 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.

    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 (such as downblended to low enriched uranium for peaceful 
commercial uses), subject to transparency measures, and protected from 
diversion to activities of proliferation concern. Pursuant to the HEU 
Agreements, weapons-grade uranium extracted from Russian nuclear weapons 
is converted to low enriched uranium for use as fuel in commercial 
nuclear reactors. The Order blocks and protects from attachment, 
judgment, decree, lien, execution, garnishment, or other judicial 
process the property and interests in property of the Government of the 
Russian Federation that are directly related to the implementation of 
the HEU Agreements and 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.

    The national emergency declared on June 21, 2000, must continue 
beyond June 21, 2003, to provide continued protection from attachment, 
judgment, decree, lien, execution, garnishment, or other judicial 
process for the property and interests in property of the Government of 
the Russian Federation that are directly related to the implementation 
of the HEU Agreements and subject to U.S. jurisdiction. Therefore, in 
accordance with section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act (50 
U.S.C. 1622(d)), I am continuing for 1 year the national emergency with 
respect to weapons-usable fissile material in the territory of the 
Russian Federation.

[[Page 745]]

This notice shall be published in the Federal Register and transmitted 
to the Congress.
                                                George W. Bush
 The White House,
 June 10, 2003.

 [Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 8:45 a.m., June 11, 
2003]

Note: This notice was published in the Federal Register on June 12.