[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 44, Number 6 (Monday, February 18, 2008)]
[Pages 187-188]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]
<R04>
Executive Order 13460--Blocking Property of Additional Persons in
Connection With the National Emergency With Respect to Syria
February 13, 2008
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and
the laws of the United States of America, including the International
Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.)(IEEPA), the
National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.), and section 301 of
title 3, United States Code,
I, George W. Bush, President of the United States of America, find
that the Government of Syria continues to engage in certain conduct that
formed the basis for the national emergency declared in Executive Order
13338 of May 11, 2004, including but not limited to undermining efforts
with respect to the stabilization of Iraq. I further find that the
conduct of certain members of the Government of Syria and other persons
contributing to public corruption related to Syria, including by
misusing Syrian public assets or by misusing public authority,
entrenches and enriches the Government of Syria and its supporters and
thereby enables the Government of Syria to continue to engage in certain
conduct that formed the basis for the national emergency declared in
Executive Order 13338. In light of these findings, and to take
additional steps with respect to the national emergency declared in
Executive Order 13338 of May 11, 2004, I hereby order:
Section 1. (a) Except to the extent provided in section 203(b)(1),
(3), and (4) of IEEPA (50 U.S.C. 1702(b)(1), (3) and (4)), the Trade
Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act of 2000 (title IX, Public
Law 106-387), or regulations, orders, directives, or licenses that may
be issued pursuant to this order, and notwithstanding any contract
entered into or any license or permit granted prior to the effective
date of this order, all property and interests in property that are in
the United States, that hereafter come within the United States, or that
are or hereafter come within the possession or control of any United
States person, including any overseas branch, of the following persons
are blocked and may not be transferred, paid, exported, withdrawn, or
otherwise dealt in: persons determined by the Secretary of the Treasury,
after consultation with the Secretary of State, to be responsible for,
to have engaged in, to have facilitated, or to have secured improper
advantage as a result of, public corruption by senior officials within
the Government of Syria.
(b) The prohibitions in paragraph (a) of this section include, but
are not limited to, (i) the making of any contribution or provision of
funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any person
designated pursuant to this order, and (ii) the receipt of any
contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such
person.
Sec. 2. Section 3(a)(iv) of Executive Order 13338 is hereby amended
to read as follows:
``(iv) to be or to have been responsible for or otherwise
significantly contributing to actions taken or decisions
made by the Government of Syria that have the purpose or
effect of undermining efforts to stabilize Iraq or of
allowing the use of Syrian territory or facilities to
undermine efforts to stabilize Iraq; or''.
Sec. 3. (a) Any transaction by a United States person or within the
United States that evades or avoids, has the purpose of evading or
avoiding, or attempts to violate any of the prohibitions set forth in
this order is prohibited.
(b) Any conspiracy formed to violate any of the prohibitions set
forth in this order is prohibited.
Sec. 4. For purposes of this order:
(a) the term ``person'' means any individual or entity;
(b) the term ``entity'' means a partnership, association, trust,
joint venture, corporation, group, subgroup, or other organization; and
(c) the term ``United States person'' means any United States
citizen, permanent resident alien, entity organized under the laws of
the United States or any jurisdiction within the United States
(including foreign branches), or any person in the United States.
Sec. 5. I hereby determine that the making of donations of the type
specified in section 203(b)(2) of IEEPA (50 U.S.C.
[[Page 188]]
1702(b)(2)) by, to, or for the benefit of, persons whose property and
interests in property are blocked pursuant to section 1 of this order
would seriously impair my ability to deal with the national emergency
declared in Executive Order 13338 and relied upon for additional steps
taken in Executive Order 13399 of April 25, 2006, and I hereby prohibit
such donations as provided by section 1 of this order.
Sec. 6. For those persons whose property and interests in property
are blocked pursuant to section 1 of this order who might have a
constitutional presence in the United States, I find that, because of
the ability to transfer funds or other assets instantaneously, prior
notice to such persons of measures to be taken pursuant to this order
would render these measures ineffectual. I therefore determine that for
these measures to be effective in addressing the national emergency
declared in Executive Order 13338 and relied upon for additional steps
taken in Executive Order 13399, there need be no prior notice of a
determination made pursuant to this order.
Sec. 7. The Secretary of the Treasury, after consultation with the
Secretary of State, is hereby authorized to take such actions, including
the promulgation of rules and regulations, and to employ all powers
granted to the President by IEEPA as may be necessary to carry out the
purposes of this order. The Secretary of the Treasury may redelegate any
of these functions to other officers and agencies of the United States
Government, consistent with applicable law. All executive agencies of
the United States Government are hereby directed to take all appropriate
measures within their authority to carry out the provisions of this
order and, where appropriate, to advise the Secretary of the Treasury in
a timely manner of the measures taken.
Sec. 8. Nothing in this order is intended to affect the continued
effectiveness of any rules, regulations, orders, licenses, or other
forms of administrative action issued, taken, or continued in effect
heretofore or hereafter under 31 C.F.R. chapter V, except as expressly
terminated, modified, or suspended by or pursuant to this order.
Sec. 9. This order is not intended to, and does not, create any
right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in
equity by any party against the United States, its departments,
agencies, instrumentalities, or entities, its officers or employees, or
any other person.
George W. Bush
The White House,
February 13, 2008.
[Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 10:37 a.m., February
14, 2008]
Note: This Executive order was published in the Federal Register on
February 15.