[House Document 107-165] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] 107th Congress, 2d Session - - - - - - - - - - - House Document 107-165 CONTINUATION OF THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY WITH RESPECT TO SIERRA LEONE AND LIBERIA __________ COMMUNICATION from THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES transmitting NOTIFICATION THAT THE SIERRA LEONE AND LIBERIA EMERGENCY IS TO CONTINUE IN EFFECT BEYOND JANUARY 18, 2002, PURSUANT TO 50 U.S.C. 1622(d)January 23, 2002.--Referred to the Committee on International Relations and ordered to be printed The White House, Washington, January 15, 2002. Hon. J. Dennis Hastert, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Mr. Speaker: Section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622(d)) provides for the automatic termination of a national emergency unless, prior to the anniversary date of its declaration, the President publishes in the Federal Register and transmits to the Congress a notice stating that the emergency is to continue in effect beyond the anniversary date. In accordance with this provision, I have sent the enclosed notice, stating that the Sierra Leone and Liberia emergency is to continue in effect beyond January 18, 2002, to the Federal Register for publication. This is the first renewal of the Sierra Leone and Liberia emergency. The national emergency declared with respect to Sierra Leone on January 18, 2001, as expanded on May 22, 2001, with respect to Liberia, has not been resolved. The national emergency, as expanded, was declared to deal with the threat posed to United States foreign policy by (1) the insurgent Revolutionary United Front's (RUF) illicit trade in diamonds to fund its operations and procurement of weapons in the brutal, decade-long civil war in Sierra Leone; (2) the RUF's flagrant violation of the Lome Peace Agreement of July 7, 1999; (3) the RUF's attacks on personnel of the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone; and (4) the actions of the Government of Liberia in support of the RUF. These actions and policies are hostile to U.S. interests and pose a continuing, unusual, and extraordinary threat to the foreign policy of the United States. For these reasons, I have determined that it is necessary to continue the national emergency declared with respect to Sierra Leone and Liberia and to maintain in force the sanctions imposed in response to the threat posed by the actions and policies of the RUF. Sincerely, George W. Bush. Notice ---------- Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to Sierra Leone and Liberia On January 18, 2001, by Executive Order 13194, the President declared a national emergency with respect to Sierra Leone pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701-1706) to deal with the unusual and extraordinary threat to the foreign policy of the United States constituted by the actions and policies of the insurgent Revolutionary United Front (RUF) in Sierra Leone and pursuant to which the United States imposed a general ban on the direct and indirect importation of all rough diamonds from Sierra Leone to the United States, except those imports controlled through the Certificate of Origin regime of the Government of Sierra Leone. On May 22, 2001, I issued Executive Order 13213, which expanded the scope of the national emergency to include actions of the Government of Liberia in support of the RUF and prohibited the importation of all rough diamonds from Liberia. Because the actions and policies of the RUF continue to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the foreign policy of the United States, the national emergency declared on January 18, 2001, as expanded on May 22, 2001, and the measures adopted on those dates to deal with that emergency must continue in effect beyond January 18, 2002. 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 Sierra Leone and Liberia. This notice shall be published in the Federal Register and transmitted to the Congress. George W. Bush. The White House, January 15, 2002.