Executive Order 13312

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including the Clean Diamond Trade Act (Public Law 108-19) (the "Act"), the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, as amended (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.), the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.), section 5 of the United Nations Participation Act, as amended (22 U.S.C. 287c), and section 301 of title 3, United States Code, and in view of the national emergency described and declared in Executive Order 13194 of January 18, 2001, and expanded in scope in Executive Order 13213 of May 22, 2001,

I,, President of the United States of America, note that, in response to the role played by the illicit trade in diamonds in fueling conflict and human rights violations in Sierra Leone, the President declared a national emergency in Executive Order 13194 and imposed restrictions on the importation of rough diamonds into the United States from Sierra Leone. I expanded the scope of that emergency in Executive Order 13213 and prohibited absolutely the importation of rough diamonds from Liberia. I further note that representatives of the United States and numerous other countries announced in the Interlaken Declaration of November 5, 2002, the launch of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) for rough diamonds, under which Participants prohibit the importation of rough diamonds from, or the exportation of rough diamonds to, a non-Participant and require that shipments of rough diamonds from or to a Participant be controlled through the KPCS. The Clean Diamond Trade Act authorizes the President to take steps to implement the KPCS. Therefore, in order to implement the Act, to harmonize Executive Orders 13194 and 13213 with the Act, to address further threats to international peace and security posed by the trade in conflict diamonds, and to avoid undermining the legitimate diamond trade, it is hereby ordered as follows:

. Prohibitions.
 * Notwithstanding the existence of any rights or obligations conferred or imposed by any contract entered into or any license or permit granted prior to July 30, 2003, the following are, except to the extent a waiver issued under section 4(b) of the Act applies, prohibited:

. Assignment of Functions.

. Amendments to Related Executive Orders.

. Definitions.
 * For the purposes of this order and Executive Order 13194, the definitions set forth in section 3 of the Act shall apply, and the term "Kimberley Process Certification Scheme" shall not be construed to include any changes to the KPCS after April 25, 2003.

. General Provisions.
 * 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.

. Effective Date and Transmittal.

, July 29, 2003. [FR Doc. 03–19676 Filed 7–30–03; 9:18 am] Billing Code 3195–01–P