[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 21 (Tuesday, February 1, 2011)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 5482-5483]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-2178]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Office of Foreign Assets Control
31 CFR Part 548
Belarus Sanctions Regulations
AGENCY: Office of Foreign Assets Control, Treasury.
ACTION: Final rule.
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SUMMARY: The Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets
Control (``OFAC'') is amending the Belarus Sanctions Regulations in the
Code of Federal Regulations to revoke a general license authorizing
U.S. persons to engage until May 31, 2011, in otherwise prohibited
transactions with two blocked entities, Lakokraska OAO and/or Polotsk
Steklovolokno OAO.
DATES: Effective Date: This rule is effective February 11, 2011.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Assistant Director for Compliance,
[[Page 5483]]
Outreach & Implementation, tel.: 202/622-2490, Assistant Director for
Licensing, tel.: 202/622-2480, Assistant Director for Policy, tel.:
202/622-4855, Office of Foreign Assets Control, or Chief Counsel
(Foreign Assets Control), tel.: 202/622-2410, Office of the General
Counsel, Department of the Treasury (not toll free numbers).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Electronic and Facsimile Availability
This document and additional information concerning OFAC are
available from OFAC's Web site (http://www.treas.gov/ofac). Certain
general information pertaining to OFAC's sanctions programs also is
available via facsimile through a 24-hour fax-on-demand service, tel.:
202/622-0077.
Background
Following the December 19, 2010 presidential elections in Belarus
and the announcement by state-run media on election night that
President Lukashenko had received approximately 80 percent of the vote,
some opposition candidates and their supporters gathered at
Independence Square in the Belarusian capital, Minsk, to protest.
Belarusian riot police beat and arrested over 600 protesters, including
most of the opposition candidates and many journalists, human rights
activists, and civil society representatives. Press reports indicate
that as of January 18, at least 31 protesters (including several
opposition candidates) remain in jail, facing up to 15 years in prison
on charges of organizing or participating in mass riots. Since the
demonstration, the government has engaged in a further crackdown
against offices and members of political parties, civil society and
independent media.
While the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe's
(OSCE) Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR)
noted that the presidential election showed certain improvements over
previous elections, ODIHR observed significant flaws during the vote
count. ODIHR determined that the lack of transparency in the vote count
undermined any improvements in the electoral process. The post-election
violence further marred the presidential elections and drew
condemnation from the United States and the European Union. On December
23, 2010, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and EU High
Representative Catherine Ashton issued a joint statement calling for
the immediate release of all opposition protesters taken into custody
following the presidential elections. Secretary Clinton and High
Representative Ashton also deemed the flawed vote count and post-
election violence an ``unfortunate step backwards'' for democracy and
human rights in Belarus.
In light of these recent developments and the decision by the
Government of Belarus to close the Minsk office of the OSCE, OFAC is
amending the Belarus Sanctions Regulations, 31 CFR part 548 (the
``Regulations''), to revoke the general license in section 548.509
authorizing U.S. persons to engage until May 31, 2011, in all otherwise
prohibited transactions with two blocked entities, Lakokraska OAO and/
or Polotsk Stoklovolokno OAO. This license had been issued in 2008 in
response to the Belarusian Government's release of its political
prisoners. The revocation of the general license in section 548.509 of
the Regulations will be effective on February 11, 2011. This delayed
effective date gives U.S. persons a reasonable period of time to wind
down and terminate any transactions previously entered into with
Lakokraska OAO and/or Polotsk Stoklovolokno OAO under section 548.509
of the Regulations.
Public Participation
Because the amendments of the Regulations involve a foreign affairs
function, the provisions of Executive Order 12866 and the
Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. 553) requiring notice of
proposed rulemaking, opportunity for public participation, and delay in
effective date are inapplicable. Because no notice of proposed
rulemaking is required for this rule, the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5
U.S.C. 601-612) does not apply.
Paperwork Reduction Act
The collections of information related to the Regulations are
contained in 31 CFR part 501 (the ``Reporting, Procedures and Penalties
Regulations''). Pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44
U.S.C. 3507), those collections of information have been approved by
the Office of Management and Budget under control number 1505-0164. An
agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to
respond to, a collection of information unless the collection of
information displays a valid control number.
List of Subjects in 31 CFR Part 548
Administrative practice and procedure, Banks, Banking, Belarus,
Blocking of assets, Credit, Foreign trade, Penalties, Reporting and
recordkeeping requirements, Securities, Services.
For the reasons set forth in the preamble, the Department of the
Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control amends 31 CFR part 548 as
follows:
PART 548--BELARUS SANCTIONS REGULATIONS
0
1. The authority citation for part 548 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 3 U.S.C. 301; 31 U.S.C. 321(b); 50 U.S.C. 1601-1651,
1701-1706; Pub. L. 101-410, 104 Stat. 890 (28 U.S.C. 2461 note);
Pub. L. 110-96, 121 Stat. 1011 (50 U.S.C. 1705 note); E.O. 13405, 71
FR 35485; 3 CFR, 2007 Comp., p. 231.
Subpart E--Licenses, Authorizations, and Statements of Licensing
Policy
Sec. 548.509 [Removed]
0
2. Remove Sec. 548.509.
Dated: January 25, 2011.
Adam J. Szubin,
Director, Office of Foreign Assets Control.
[FR Doc. 2011-2178 Filed 1-31-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4810-AL-P