THE WHITE HOUSE Office of the Press Secretary ________________________________________________________________ For Immediate Release October 28, 2000 STATEMENT BY THE PRESS SECRETARY Continued Waiver of Law Allowing Judicial Attachment of Diplomatic Properties The United States continues to fight against terrorism in all its forms. We have taken and will continue to take strong measures against nations that have sponsored terrorism. We have also supported efforts to obtain justice on behalf of victims of terrorism. The Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000, signed by the President today, will provide much deserved compensation to American victims of terrorism and their families. This legislation is a measure of the United States Government?s commitment to the victims of terrorism, to deter future acts of terrorism, and to defend the United States from its evils. The struggle to defeat terrorism is not helped, however, by putting into effect provisions that would permit individuals who win court judgments against nations on the State Department?s terrorist list to attach diplomatic and certain other properties. Attachment of diplomatic properties runs counter to other provisions of U.S. law and in some instances our treaty obligations and could result in retaliation, placing our embassies and citizens overseas at grave risk. It also would undermine our ability to use blocked properties as leverage in foreign policy disputes. This loss of leverage would be especially harmful to our ability to negotiate with successor or transition governments that may emerge in the future. Under the law, the President can waive the attachment provision to protect the national security interest of the United States. President Clinton has signed the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000 and, in the interests of protecting America?s security, has exercised the waiver authority that was first used in 1998. The Administration is working to achieve justice for victims of terrorism, without undermining our ability to protect our interests and conduct foreign relations, including the fight against terrorism, around the world. # # #
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