[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 44, Number 6 (Monday, February 18, 2008)]
[Pages 188-189]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Message to the Congress Transmitting an Executive Order Blocking 
Property of Additional Persons in Connection With the National Emergency 
With Respect to Syria

February 13, 2008

To the Congress of the United States:

    Pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, as 
amended (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.)(IEEPA), I hereby report that I have 
issued an Executive Order taking additional steps with respect to the 
Government of Syria's continued engagement 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 its efforts to 
undermine the stabilization and reconstruction of Iraq.
    This order will block the property and interests in property of 
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. The order also revises a provision in Executive Order 13338 to 
block the property and interests in property of persons determined by

[[Page 189]]

the Secretary of the Treasury, after consultation with the Secretary of 
State, to be responsible for or otherwise significantly contributing to 
actions or decisions of 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.
    I delegated to the Secretary of the Treasury the authority to take 
such actions, after consultation with the Secretary of State, 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 my order.
    I wish to emphasize, as well, my ongoing concern over the 
destabilizing role Syria continues to play in Lebanon, including its 
efforts to obstruct, through intimidation and violence, Lebanon's 
democratic processes.
    I am enclosing a copy of the Executive Order I have issued.
                                                George W. Bush
 The White House,
 February 13, 2008.