[House Document 108-147]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
108th Congress, 2nd Session - - - - - - - - - - - - House Document 108-
147
CONTINUATION OF THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY
WITH RESPECT TO LIBYA
__________
COMMUNICATION
from
THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
transmitting
NOTIFICATION THAT THE LIBYA EMERGENCY IS TO CONTINUE IN EFFECT BEYOND
JANUARY 7, 2004, PURSUANT TO 50 U.S.C. 1622 (d)
January 20, 2004.--Referred to the Committee on International Relations
and ordered to be printed
The White House,
Washington, January 5, 2004.
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. Consistent with this provision, I have sent
the enclosed notice, stating that the Libya emergency is to
continue in effect beyond January 7, 2004, to the Federal
Register for publication. The most recent notice continuing
this emergency was published in the Federal Register on January
6, 2003 (68 Fed. Reg. 661).
On September 12, 2003, the United Nations Security Council
adopted Resolution 1506 (UNSCR 1506), ending the U.N. sanctions
against Libya. These U.N. sanctions were imposed in 1992 and
1993 as a result of Libyan involvement in the terrorist
bombings of Pan Am 103 and UTA 772, and included travel
restrictions, an arms embargo, and financial sanctions. The
UNSCR 1506 lifted these sanctions after Libya addressed the
requirements of the relevant UNSC Resolutions, including making
arrangements to compensate the families of the victims and
accepting responsibility for the acts of its officials in the
bombing of Pan Am 103. The United States abstained from voting
on the lifting of the U.N. sanctions, and it made clear that it
continued to have serious concerns about other Libyan policies
and actions, including Libya's pursuit of weapons of mass
destruction, Libya's role with regard to terrorism, and Libya's
poor human rights record.
On December 19, 2003, Prime Minister Blair and I announced
separately that Libya's leader, Colonel Muammar Qadhafi, had
agreed to eliminate all elements of Libya's chemical and
nuclear weapons program, declare all nuclear activities to the
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), accept international
inspections to ensure Libya's complete adherence to the Nuclear
Nonproliferation Treaty and sign the IAEA Additional Protocol,
accede to the Chemical Weapons Convention, eliminate ballistic
missiles beyond 300 kilometer range, and immediately and
unconditionally allow inspectors from international
organizations to enter Libya. Libya's agreement marks the
beginning of a process that can lead to Libya rejoining the
international community, but its declaration of December 19,
2003, must be followed by verification of concrete steps.
Despite the positive developments, the crisis with respect
to Libya has not been fully resolved, and I have therefore
determined that it is necessary to continue the national
emergency declared with respect to Libya and maintain in force
the comprehensive sanctions against Libya.
Sincerely,
George W. Bush.
Notice
----------
Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to Libya
On January 7, 1986, by Executive Order 12543, President
Reagan declared a national emergency to deal with the unusual
and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign
policy of the United States constituted by the actions and
policies of the Government of Libya. On January 8, 1986, by
Executive Order 12544, the President took additional measures
to block Libyan assets in the United States. The President has
transmitted a notice continuing this emergency to the Congress
and the Federal Register every year since 1986.
The crisis between the United States and Libya that led to
the declaration of a national emergency on January 7, 1986, has
not been fully resolved, although there have been some positive
developments.
On September 12, 2003, the United Nations Security Council
adopted Resolution 1506 (UNSCR 1506), ending the United Nations
sanctions against Libya. These U.N. sanctions were imposed in
1992 and 1993 as a result of Libyan involvement in the
terrorist bombings of Pan Am 103 in 1988 and UTA 772 in 1989,
and included travel restrictions, an arms embargo, and
financial sanctions. The UNSCR 1506 lifted these sanctions
after Libya addressed the requirements of the relevant UNSC
Resolutions, including accepting responsibility for the actions
of its officials in the Pan Am 103 attack and arranging to
compensate the families of the victims. The United States
abstained from voting on the lifting of U.N. sanctions, and it
made clear that it continued to have serious concerns about
other Libyan policies and actions, including Libya's pursuit of
weapons of mass destruction, Libya's role with respect to
terrorism, and Libya's poor human rights record.
On December 19, 2003, Prime Minister Blair and I announced
separately that Libya's leader, Colonel Muammar Qadhafi, had
agreed to eliminate all elements of Libya's chemical and
nuclear weapons program, declare all nuclear activities to the
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), accept international
inspections to ensure Libya's complete adherence to the Nuclear
Nonproliferation Treaty and sign the IAEA Additional Protocol,
accede to the Chemical Weapons Convention, eliminate ballistic
missiles beyond 300 kilometer range, and immediately and
unconditionally allow inspectors from international
organizations to enter Libya. Libya's declaration of December
19, 2003, marks an important and welcome step toward addressing
the concerns of the world community. As Libya takes tangible
steps to address those concerns, the United States will in turn
take reciprocal tangible steps to recognize Libya's progress.
Libya's agreement marks the beginning of a process of rejoining
the community of nations, but its declaration of December 19,
2003, must be followed by verification of concrete steps.
Therefore, consistent with section 202(d) of the National
Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622(d)), I am continuing the
national emergency with respect to Libya. This notice shall be
published in the Federal Register and transmitted to the
Congress.
George W. Bush.
The White House, January 5, 2004.