Message to the Congress on Additional Economic Sanctions Against Haiti

To the Congress of the United States:

On October 4, 1991, pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act ("IEEPA") (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) and section 301 of the National Emergencies Act ("NEA") (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.), President Bush exercised his statutory authority to issue Executive Order No. 12775, declaring a national emergency and blocking Haitian government property.

On October 28, 1991, pursuant to the above authorities, President Bush exercised his statutory authority to issue Executive Order No. 12779, blocking certain property of and prohibiting certain transactions with Haiti.

On June 30, 1993, pursuant to above authorities, as well as the United Nations Participation Act of 1945, as amended ("UNPA"), (2 U.S.C. 287c), I exercised my statutory authority to issue Executive Order No. 12853, to impose additional economic measures with respect to Haiti. This latter action was taken, in part, to ensure that the economic measures taken by the United States with respect to Haiti would fulfill its obligations under United Nations Security Council Resolution 841 of June 16, 1993.

On October 18, 1993, pursuant to the IEEPA and the NEA, I again exercised by statutory authority to issue Executive Order No. 12872, blocking property of various persons with respect to Haiti.

On May 6, 1994, the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 917, calling on States to take additional measures to tighten the embargo against Haiti. On May 7, 1994, pursuant to the above authorities, I exercised by statutory authority to issue Executive Order No. 12914, to impose additional economic measures with respect to Haiti. On May 21, 1994, pursuant to the above authorities, I exercised my statutory authority to issue Executive Order No. 12917, to impose those economic measures required by Resolution 917 that became effective May 21, 1994. These latter actions were taken, in part, to ensure that the economic measures taken by the United States with respect to Haiti would fulfill its obligations under the provisions of United Nations Security Council Resolution 917.

On June 10, 1994, pursuant to the above authorities, I exercised my statutory authority to issue Executive Order No. 12920, prohibiting additional transactions with Haiti.

On June 21, 1994, pursuant to the above authorities, I exercised my statutory authority to issue Executive Order No. 12922.

This new Executive order:

—blocks all property in the United States, or within the possession or control of United States persons, of any Haitian national resident in Haiti, or any other person subject to the blocking provisions of Executive Order Nos. 12775, 12779, 12853, 12872, or 12914 or a Haitian citizen who is a member of the immediate family of such a person, as identified by the Secretary of the Treasury; and makes limited exceptions for certain payments and transfers, and for the property of nongovernmental organizations engaged in the provision of essential humanitarian assistance or the conduct of refugee and migration operations in Haiti, that are identified by the Secretary of the Treasury;

—prohibits any transaction that evades or avoids or has the purpose of evading or avoiding, or attempts to violate, any of the prohibitions of the order; and

—authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State, to issue regulations implementing the provisions of the order.

The new Executive order is necessary to tighten the embargo against Haiti with the goal of the restoration of democracy in that nation and the prompt return of the legitimately elected President, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, under the framework of the Governors Island Agreement.

I am providing this notice to the Congress pursuant to section 204(b) of the IEEPA (50 U.S.C. 1703(b)) and section 301 of the NEA (50 U.S.C. 1631). I am enclosing a copy of the Executive order that I have issued.

WILLIAM J. CLINTON

The White House, June 21, 1994.