Executive Order 12808—Blocking "Yugoslav Government" Property and Property of the Governments of Serbia and Montenegro

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 et seq. ), the National Emergencies Act et seq. ), and section 301 of title 3 of the United States Code. I, GEORGE BUSH, President of the United States of America, find that the actions and policies of the Governments of Serbia and Montenegro, acting under the name of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia or the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, in their involvement in and support for groups attempting to seize territory in Croatia and Bosnia-Hercegovina by force and violence utilizing, in part, the forces of the so-called Yugoslav National Army, constitute and unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States, and hereby declare a national emergency to deal with that threat. I hereby order: Section 1. Except to the extent provided in regulations, orders, directives, or licenses which may hereafter be issued pursuant to this order, all property and interests in property of the Government of Serbia and the Government of Montenegro 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 United States persons, including their overseas branches, are hereby blocked. Sec. 2. Except to the extent provided in regulations, orders, directives, or licenses which may hereafter be issued pursuant to this order, all property and interests in property in the name of the Government of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia or the Government of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia 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 United States persons, including their overseas branches, are hereby blocked. Sec. 3. Any transaction by any United States person that evades or avoids, or has the purpose of evading or avoiding, or attempts to violate, any of the prohibitions set forth in this order is prohibited. Sec. 4. For the purposes of this order: (a) The term "United States person" means any United States citizen, permanent resident alien, juridical person organized under the laws of the United States (including foreign branches), or person in the United States; (b) The terms "Government of Serbia" and Government of Montenegro" include the governments of Serbia and Montenegro, including any subdivisions thereof or local government therein, their respective agencies, instrumentalities and controlled entities, and any persons acting or purporting to act for or on behalf of any of the foregoing, including the National Bank of Serbia, the Serbian Chamber of Economy, the National Bank of Montenegro, and the Montenegrin Chamber of Economy; (c) The terms "Government of the Socialist Federal Republic or Yugoslavia" and "Government of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia" include the government of the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, the government of the newly constituted Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, their respective agencies, instrumentalities and controlled entities, and any person acting or purporting to act for or on behalf of any of the foregoing, including the National Bank of Yugoslavia, the Yugoslav National Army, and the Yugoslave Chamber of Economy. Sec. 5. The Secretary of the Treasury, in 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 the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this order. Such actions may include prohibiting or regulating payments or transfers of any property, or any transactions involving the transfer of anything of economic value by any United States person to the Government of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, the Government of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, the Government of Serbia, the Government of Montenegro, any person is Serbia or Montenegro, or any person or entity acting for or on behalf of, or owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by any of the foregoing. The Secretary of the Treasury may redelegate any of these functions to other officers and agencies of the Uniteed States Government, all agencies of which are hereby directed to take all appropriate measures within their authority to carry out the provisions of this order, including suspension or termination of licenses or other authorizations in effect as of the date of this order. Sec. 6. Nothing contained in this order shall create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable by any party against the United States, its agencies or instrumentalities, its officers or employees, or any other person. Sec. 7. (a) This order shall take effect at 11:590 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, May 30, 1992. (b) This order shall be transmitted to the Congress and published in the Federal Register. George Bush The White House, May 30, 1992.