US embassy cable - 05VIENNA3651

UNCLAS VIENNA 003651 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EUR/OHI, L/LEI AND EUR/AGS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, KNAR, AU 
SUBJECT:  PARLIAMENT APPROVES ACCELERATED PAYMENTS TO 
 
 
HOLOCAUST VICTIMS 
 
1.  On November 16, the Austrian parliament unanimously 
 
approved advance payments to Holocaust victims from the 
 
General Settlement Fund (GSF).  A Green-sponsored motion 
 
to decouple the government-funded portion of the GSF from 
 
attainment of legal peace in the U.S. attracted no 
 
support from the other parties, however.  Chancellor 
 
Schuessel stressed that he had "great interest in 
 
concluding this chapter in a positive way as soon as 
 
possible."  Noting that legal peace might be imminent, 
 
Schuessel remarked, "We are just a few centimeters away 
 
from the finish line."  The amendment also extends the 
 
application period for in-rem restitution of publicly 
 
held real property to December 31, 2006. 
 
2.  Parliamentary President Khol (OVP) recalled 
 
Chancellor Schuessel's and Stuart Eizenstat's roles in 
 
bringing about the Washington Agreement and expressly 
 
thanked the Austrian Jewish Community (IKG) for urging 
 
dismissal of the Whiteman suit in the U.S.  Khol appealed 
 
to legislators to pass the amendment unanimously so that 
 
"we can initiate advance payments for the first 6,000 to 
 
7,000 victims."  He also thanked the Austrian business 
 
community for participating in establishing the USD 210 
 
million fund.  Speakers from all parties hoped for a 
 
disposition of the last remaining U.S. class action suit 
 
so that payments can begin "before the end of the year." 
 
van Voorst