Establishment of Afghanistan and Pakistan Strategic Partnership Office and Amendment to Executive Order 12163

Executive Order 13656 of January 17, 2014

Establishment of Afghanistan and Pakistan
Strategic Partnership Office and Amendment to Executive
Order 12163

By the authority vested in me as President by the
Constitution and the laws of the United States of
America, including section 202 of the Revised Statutes
(22 U.S.C. 2656) and section 3161 of title 5, United
States Code, it is hereby ordered as follows:

Section 1. Establishment. There is established within
the Department of State, in accordance with section
3161 of title 5, United States Code, a temporary
organization to be known as the Afghanistan and
Pakistan Strategic Partnership Office (APSPO).

Sec. 2. Purpose of the Temporary Organization. The
purposes of the APSPO shall be to perform the specific
project of supporting executive departments and
agencies (agencies) in facilitating a strategic
partnership between the U.S. Government and the
governments of Afghanistan and Pakistan, promoting
further security and stabilization, and transitioning
to a normalized diplomatic presence in both countries.

Sec. 3. Functions of the Temporary Organization. In
carrying out the purposes set forth in section 2 of
this order, the APSPO shall:

(a) support agencies in transitioning to a
strategic partnership with the governments of
Afghanistan and Pakistan in the economic, diplomatic,
cultural, technology, and security fields, particularly
in the areas of program management, rule of law, and
program oversight;
(b) coordinate the final drawdown of the Department
of State's civilian field operations and staff in
Afghanistan;
(c) coordinate and oversee the administration of
certain State Department assistance funds; and
(d) perform such other functions related to the
specific project set forth in section 2 of this order
as the Secretary of State (Secretary) may assign.

Sec. 4. Personnel and Administration. The APSPO shall
be headed by a Director appointed by the Secretary. The
APSPO shall be based in Washington, DC, Pakistan, and
Afghanistan.

Sec. 5. Termination of the Temporary Organization. The
APSPO shall terminate at the end of the maximum period
permitted by section 3161(a)(1) of title 5, United
States Code, unless terminated sooner by the Secretary.

Sec. 6. Delegation of Certain Determination Functions.
Executive Order 12163 of September 29, 1979, as
amended, is further amended, in section 1-701(c), by
striking the semicolon and all subsequent text before
the period.

Sec. 7. General Provisions. (a) This order shall be
implemented in accordance with applicable law and
subject to the availability of appropriations.

(b) Nothing in this order shall be construed to
impair or otherwise affect:

(i) the authority granted by law to a department or agency, or the head
thereof; or

(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget
relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

(c) 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, or
entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any
other person.

THE WHITE HOUSE,

January 17, 2014.