[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 44, Number 6 (Monday, February 18, 2008)]
[Pages 187-188]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Executive Order 13460--Blocking Property of Additional Persons in 
Connection With the National Emergency With Respect to Syria

February 13, 2008

    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 (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.)(IEEPA), the 
National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.), and section 301 of 
title 3, United States Code,
    I, George W. Bush, President of the United States of America, find 
that the Government of Syria continues to engage in certain conduct that 
formed the basis for the national emergency declared in Executive Order 
13338 of May 11, 2004, including but not limited to undermining efforts 
with respect to the stabilization of Iraq. I further find that the 
conduct of certain members of the Government of Syria and other persons 
contributing to public corruption related to Syria, including by 
misusing Syrian public assets or by misusing public authority, 
entrenches and enriches the Government of Syria and its supporters and 
thereby enables the Government of Syria to continue to engage in certain 
conduct that formed the basis for the national emergency declared in 
Executive Order 13338. In light of these findings, and to take 
additional steps with respect to the national emergency declared in 
Executive Order 13338 of May 11, 2004, I hereby order:
    Section 1. (a) Except to the extent provided in section 203(b)(1), 
(3), and (4) of IEEPA (50 U.S.C. 1702(b)(1), (3) and (4)), the Trade 
Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act of 2000 (title IX, Public 
Law 106-387), or regulations, orders, directives, or licenses that may 
be issued pursuant to this order, and notwithstanding any contract 
entered into or any license or permit granted prior to the effective 
date of this order, all property and interests in property 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 any United 
States person, including any overseas branch, of the following persons 
are blocked and may not be transferred, paid, exported, withdrawn, or 
otherwise dealt in: persons determined by the Secretary of the Treasury, 
after consultation with the Secretary of State, to be responsible for, 
to have engaged in, to have facilitated, or to have secured improper 
advantage as a result of, public corruption by senior officials within 
the Government of Syria.
    (b) The prohibitions in paragraph (a) of this section include, but 
are not limited to, (i) the making of any contribution or provision of 
funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any person 
designated pursuant to this order, and (ii) the receipt of any 
contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such 
person.
    Sec. 2. Section 3(a)(iv) of Executive Order 13338 is hereby amended 
to read as follows:
``(iv)       to be or to have been responsible for or otherwise 
            significantly contributing to actions taken or decisions 
            made by the Government of Syria that have the purpose or 
            effect of undermining efforts to stabilize Iraq or of 
            allowing the use of Syrian territory or facilities to 
            undermine efforts to stabilize Iraq; or''.
    Sec. 3. (a) Any transaction by a United States person or within the 
United States that evades or avoids, has the purpose of evading or 
avoiding, or attempts to violate any of the prohibitions set forth in 
this order is prohibited.
    (b) Any conspiracy formed to violate any of the prohibitions set 
forth in this order is prohibited.
    Sec. 4. For purposes of this order:
    (a) the term ``person'' means any individual or entity;
    (b) the term ``entity'' means a partnership, association, trust, 
joint venture, corporation, group, subgroup, or other organization; and
    (c) the term ``United States person'' means any United States 
citizen, permanent resident alien, entity 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.
    Sec. 5. I hereby determine that the making of donations of the type 
specified in section 203(b)(2) of IEEPA (50 U.S.C.

[[Page 188]]

1702(b)(2)) by, to, or for the benefit of, persons whose property and 
interests in property are blocked pursuant to section 1 of this order 
would seriously impair my ability to deal with the national emergency 
declared in Executive Order 13338 and relied upon for additional steps 
taken in Executive Order 13399 of April 25, 2006, and I hereby prohibit 
such donations as provided by section 1 of this order.
    Sec. 6. For those persons whose property and interests in property 
are blocked pursuant to section 1 of this order who might have a 
constitutional presence in the United States, I find that, because of 
the ability to transfer funds or other assets instantaneously, prior 
notice to such persons of measures to be taken pursuant to this order 
would render these measures ineffectual. I therefore determine that for 
these measures to be effective in addressing the national emergency 
declared in Executive Order 13338 and relied upon for additional steps 
taken in Executive Order 13399, there need be no prior notice of a 
determination made pursuant to this order.
    Sec. 7. The Secretary of the Treasury, after consultation with the 
Secretary of State, is hereby authorized to take such actions, including 
the promulgation of rules and regulations, and to employ all powers 
granted to the President 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, consistent with applicable law. All executive agencies of 
the United States Government are hereby directed to take all appropriate 
measures within their authority to carry out the provisions of this 
order and, where appropriate, to advise the Secretary of the Treasury in 
a timely manner of the measures taken.
    Sec. 8. Nothing in this order is intended to affect the continued 
effectiveness of any rules, regulations, orders, licenses, or other 
forms of administrative action issued, taken, or continued in effect 
heretofore or hereafter under 31 C.F.R. chapter V, except as expressly 
terminated, modified, or suspended by or pursuant to this order.
    Sec. 9. This order is not intended to, and does not, create any 
right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in 
equity by any party against the United States, its departments, 
agencies, instrumentalities, or entities, its officers or employees, or 
any other person.
                                                George W. Bush
 The White House,
 February 13, 2008.

 [Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 10:37 a.m., February 
14, 2008]

Note: This Executive order was published in the Federal Register on 
February 15.