The Austrian Government has no thought of postponing the May 5-11 talks on restitution for Nazi victim, despite the impending conference of Big Four Ambassadors on an Austrian state treaty, State Secretary Bruno Kreisky, a spokesman for the government, told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency today.
Herr Kreisky, a Social Democrat, said that in the event the Soviet Union returns to Austria property confiscated by the Nazis from Jews and now held by the USSR as German assets, the Austrian Government would not seek to benefit from such assets. It would “certainly” turn over such property to the former Jewish owners, he asserted.
Informed circles here stated today that the Austrian Government views the May talks as preliminary and does not expect to get all problems connected with restitution settled with the representatives of various groups seeking restitution. It chiefly wants clarification of their views, these sources said.
Meanwhile a government spokesman has confirmed Austria’s willingness to reach an early settlement. The atmosphere here it is frankly optimistic.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
