Austria Announces Readiness to Start Talks on Jewish Claims

The Austrian Government will soon start negotiations with representatives of Jewish organizations on claims by Jews, it was announced here today in a communiqué issued simultaneously by the Austrian Embassy in the United States and the Committee for Jewish Claims on Austria. The communiqué reads:

“According to previous requests from Jewish world organizations the Austrian Government on May 26, 1953, indicated its readiness to meet with representatives of such organizations at Vienna in the latter part of June, in order to present and discuss their claims. This was announced on behalf of the Austrian Government by the Austrian Ambassador in the United States at a meeting at the Austrian Embassy to a group of Jewish leaders representing a Joint Executive Board which has been set up by Jewish organizations outside of Austria and by the Jewish communities in Austria.

“In accepting the invitation, the Jewish spokesmen indicated their gratification at the extension of this invitation and their hopes that the negotiations would result in a speedy and satisfactory solution to the problem of Jewish claims.

“Persons present at the meeting included: Mr. Jacob Blaustein, president, American Jewish Committee; Dr. Israel Goldstein, president, American Jewish Congress; Mr. Adolph Held, chairman, Jewish Labor Committee; and Mr. Moses A. Leavitt, executive vice-chairman, American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee.

“The Joint Executive Board, of which the above persons are members, represents both the Association of Jewish Communities in Austria and the Committee for Jewish Claims on Austria. The Committee for Jewish Claims on Austria is a broadly representative organization composed of representative Jewish organizations in the free world. It is expected that the details of the negotiations, including the fixing of a specific date for their inception and the naming of delegations, will be arranged in the near future.”