Bill Clinton photo

Message to the Congress on Additional Economic Sanctions Against Haiti

May 21, 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 of 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 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 my statutory authority to issue Executive Order No. 12872 of 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. On May 7, 1994, pursuant to the above authorities, I exercised my statutory authority and issued Executive Order No. 12914 of May 7, 1994, 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 the provisions of United Nations Security Council Resolution 917 that were effective immediately under that Resolution.

United Nations Security Council Resolution 917 contains several provisions required to become effective no later than May 21, 1994, to further tighten the embargo against Haiti. These include, inter alia, a requirement that Member States prohibit importation of Haitian-origin products into their territories exported from Haiti after May 21, 1994, activities that promote importation or transshipment of such products, and dealings by their nationals, flag vessels, or aircraft in such products. In addition, the Resolution requires Member States to prevent the sale or supply of products to Haiti by their nationals or from their territories or using their flag vessels or aircraft, and activities that promote such sale or supply, with certain exceptions for humanitarian needs and trade in informational materials.

This new Executive order:

—bans importation into the United States of goods or services of Haitian origin exported after May 21, 1994, or activities that promote or are intended to promote such importation, except for informational materials;

—prohibits activities by U.S. persons or from the United States that promote exportation or transshipment of goods of Haitian origin exported after May 21, 1994, except for informational materials;

—prohibits dealings by U.S. persons or in the United States or using U.S.-registered vessels or aircraft in goods of Haitian origin exported after May 21, 1994, except for informational materials;

—prohibits the sale, supply, or exportation by U.S. persons or from the United States, or using U.S.-registered vessels or aircraft, of any goods to Haiti or in connection with Haitian businesses, or activities by U.S. persons or in the United States that promote such sale, supply, or exportation, except for informational materials, certain foodstuffs, and medicines and medical supplies;

—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, which take effect no later than May 21, 1994, and require additional measures 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 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 21, 1994.

NOTE: The Executive order is 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/220263

Filed Under

Categories

Attributes

Simple Search of Our Archives