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Message to the Congress on Additional Economic Sanctions Against Haiti

May 07, 1994

To the Congress of the United States:

On October 4, 1991, pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act ("IEEPA") (50 U.S.C. 1703 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 on October 4, 1991, 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 on October 28, 1991, blocking property of and prohibiting transactions with Haiti.

On June 30, 1993, pursuant to the above authorities, as well as the United Nations Participation Act of 1945, as amended ("UNPA") (22 U.S.C. 287c) I exercised my statutory authority to issue Executive Order No. 12853 on June 30, 1993, 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 conform to United Nations Security Council Resolution 841 (June 16, 1993).

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

On May 6, 1994, the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 917, calling on Member States to take additional measures to tighten the embargo against Haiti. These include, inter alia, a requirement that Member States deny permission for take off, landing or overflight to any aircraft flying to or from Haiti, other than aircraft on regularly scheduled commercial passenger flights. In addition, the Resolution strongly urges, but does not mandate, the freezing of funds and financial resources of officers of the military in Haiti, including police, major participants in the coup d'etat of 1991, and in illegal governments since the coup d'etat, those employed by, or acting on behalf of, the military, and immediate family members of the foregoing. Effective at 11:59 p.m. e.d.t., May 8, 1994, I have taken additional steps pursuant to the above statutory authorities to enhance the implementation of this international embargo and to conform to United Nations Security Council Resolution 917.

This new Executive order:

—bans arriving and departing flights and overflights stopping or originating in Haiti, except regularly scheduled commercial passenger flights;

—blocks the funds and financial resources, subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, of the individuals specified in Resolution 917, identified above;

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

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

The new Executive order is necessary to implement certain provisions of United Nations Security Council Resolution 917 of May 6, 1994, that are to take effect without delay. Further measures, including a comprehensive trade embargo with certain humanitarian exceptions, are required no later than May 21, 1994. I am considering additional measures to give full effect to these and other provisions of that Resolution. The measures we are imposing and the United Nations Security Council Resolution adopted on May 6, 1994, reflect the determination of the United States, acting in concert with the international community, to end the assault on democracy and human dignity in Haiti.

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,

May 7, 1994.

NOTE: This message was released by the Office of the Press Secretary on May 9. The Executive order and related proclamation of May 7 are listed in Appendix D at the end of this volume.

William J. Clinton, Message to the Congress on Additional Economic Sanctions Against Haiti Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/219628

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