The State Department proposes to extend Memorandums of Understanding with Guatemala (here), Mali (here) and Belize (here) for import restrictions on archaelogical material from those countries.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly are traveling to Mexico City Feb. 22-23, where they will discuss trade and border security, among other issues, with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto and other top Mexican officials, the State Department said (here). In addition to Pena Nieto, Tillerson and Kelly will meet with the Mexican ministers of interior, foreign relations, finance, national defense and its Navy, State said. The meeting will follow an in-person discussion in Mexico between Democratic Sens. Ed Markey of Massachusetts, Ben Cardin of Maryland and Jeff Merkley of Oregon, and Mexico's Secretary of the Economy Idelfonso Guajardo, which focused on the potential for NAFTA reforms and fentanyl trafficking from China through Mexico into the U.S., among other things, according to Markey's office (here).

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi discussed the need to create a level playing field for bilateral trade and investment during a Feb. 17 meeting, a State Department spokesman said (here). The two also discussed broader efforts to advance bilateral cooperation while addressing differences in a “constructive manner,” the spokesman said.

The State Department’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls homepage’s DTAS information system will be unavailable to industry users from 6 p.m. EST Jan. 27 to 6 a.m. Jan. 30 for routine maintenance, DDTC said (here).

The State Department is blocking transactions with the Organization for Technological Industries in Syria under Executive Order 13382, State said (here). The entities and individuals have engaged or attempted to engage in activities or transactions that have contributed or could contribute to the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction or their delivery vehicles.

The State Department added Jamaah Ansharut Daulah (here), Alexandra Amon Kotey (here) and Mustafa Mughniyah (here) to its list of Specially Designated Global Terrorists, State said. "Global Terrorist" designations include prohibitions against knowingly providing, or attempting or conspiring to provide, material support or resources to, or engaging in transactions with, the individuals. The designations also freeze all property and interests of the individuals in the U.S. or in the control of U.S. citizens.

The State Department added Hazma bin Laden (here), Ibrahim al-Banna (here) and Ali Damush (here) to its list of Specially Designated Global Terrorists, State said. "Global Terrorist" designations include prohibitions against knowingly providing, or attempting or conspiring to provide, material support or resources to, or engaging in transactions with, the individuals. The designations also freeze all property and interests of the individuals in the U.S. or in the control of U.S. citizens.

The State Department updated the aliases of Lashkar-e-Tayyiba in its foreign terrorist organization designation (here) of the group, State said. "Global Terrorist" designations include prohibitions against knowingly providing, or attempting or conspiring to provide, material support or resources to, or engaging in transactions with, the individuals. The designations also freeze all property and interests of the individuals in the U.S. or in the control of U.S. citizens.

The State Department’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls homepage’s DTAS information system will be unavailable to industry users from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. EST Dec. 28 for routine maintenance, DDTC said (here).

The State Department Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC) upgraded licenses for permanent export of unclassified articles, temporary imports and exports of unclassified articles, and imports and exports of classified items, DDTC said Dec. 16 (here). The changes to DDTC licensing forms DSP-5, -61, -73 and -85 accommodate revisions to U.S. Munitions List Categories VIII (aircraft and related articles), XII (fire control, range finder, optical and guidance and control equipment), XIII (materials and miscellaneous articles), XIV (toxicological agents, including chemical agents, biological agents, and associated equipment), XV (spacecraft systems and related articles), XVIII (directed energy weapons) and XIX (gas turbine engines and associated equipment). Starting Jan. 3, DTrade users must use version 9.3 for the DSP-5, -61 and -73 forms, version 3.2 for the DSP-85, and version 7.6 for the Common Schema to submit license applications. Earlier versions will be rejected on and after that date.