Two stalwart Republican supporters of the president joined with three Democratic senators to say that Congress is united in a push to levy sanctions on Turkey for its invasion of Syria.
The Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control renewed a general license that authorizes certain transactions with Nynas AB, a joint venture between biofuel producer Neste and Petroleos de Venezuela, Venezuela's state-run oil company. General License No. 13D, which replaces No. 13C, authorizes transactions with Nynas AB and any of its subsidiaries until April 14, 2020. The license was scheduled to expire Oct. 25.
In the Oct. 11-16 editions of the Official Journal of the European Union the following trade-related notices were posted:
The United Kingdom won’t issue any more export licenses on goods destined for Turkey that "might be used in military operations in Syria," U.K. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab told Parliament on Oct. 15. The policy will remain in place while it conducts a review of the U.K.’s defense exports to Turkey, he said. Raab, who noted that the EU has declined to impose sanctions on Turkey, was answering questions on the U.K.’s policies toward Turkey in light of the country’s military action in northern Syria.
A Turkish government-owned bank was charged with fraud, money laundering and conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act after working with Iran to evade U.S. sanctions, the Justice Department said in an Oct. 15 press release. The bank -- Turkiye Halk Bankasi A.S., also known as Halkbank -- helped run the “multibillion-dollar scheme” by deceiving U.S. regulators and foreign banks and lying to U.S. authorities, the press release said.
The European Union Council adopted a framework for sanctions against Nicaragua for human rights abuses, “repression of civil society” and the undermining of democracy, the council said in an Oct. 14 press release. The sanctions framework includes travel bans, asset freezes and block payments and loans to designated people or entities.
It is “impossible” for U.S. exporters to fully comply with Commerce Department restrictions on transfers within China because Chinese courts do not enforce the restrictions, according to an Oct. 13 post by Harris Bricken.
Although Trump administration officials have expressed willingness to mediate the Japan-South Korea trade dispute, trade experts suggested the administration -- and members of Congress -- are not currently focused on intervening.
Two bills that could affect trade with Hong Kong and two resolutions criticizing Hong Kong and China passed the House by voice vote on Oct. 15. H.R. 4270, the PROTECT Hong Kong Act, would ban the export of tear gas, rubber bullets and pepper spray to Hong Kong, so that U.S. companies aren't complicit with crackdowns on protestors (see 1909190040). The Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act, H.R. 3289, requires the State Department to affirm that Hong Kong still deserves its special status in customs and export controls because the one country, two systems agreement for China and Hong Kong is still in force. That bill would also sanction people involved in human rights abuses and the suppression of “basic freedoms” in China and Hong Kong, and would have an annual evaluation of Hong Kong's export control compliance.
The European Union Council said Turkey should be sanctioned for its “illegal drilling activities” near Cyprus, calling on the EU’s High Representative and the European Commission to “swiftly present proposals.” The council said the Commission should adopt a “framework regime of restrictive measures” targeting those responsible for the drilling. Cyprus condemned Turkey's drilling in an Oct. 4 statement and backed the EU’s decision to consider sanctions.