Nehemiah Robinson, head of the Jewish delegation in the reparations talks with the Austrian Government, refused this week-end to speculate on rumors appearing in the Austrian press that the talks had ended in complete agreement. He did, however, express the hope that agreement would be reached and added that he expects a decision by the middle of this week.
At the same time, however, the chief of the Federal Information Service here confirmed that agreement in principle had been reached, but declined to reveal complete details. He said that the matter will come before the Cabinet Council tomorrow. He also confirmed reports to the effect that the Government had agreed to establish a special fund solely for the benefit of Austrian and former Austrian Jews now living abroad. This would be done, he said, by the extension of present Austrian legislation, in an amount which was termed satisfactory to the Jewish negotiators.
He also said that the Austrians had offered $200,000 for the restoration and reconstruction of damaged synagogues and Jewish cemeteries, a proposal to which the Jewish team, he added had agreed. The spokesman also asserted that since Article 26 of the Austrian State Treaty obliges the Government to establish funds, made up of heirless unclaimed property, to be distributed among Nazi victims, the Government had agreed in principle that proceeds of former Jewish unclaimed property will be distributed to needy Jews in the Vienna community, who do not benefit under present laws.
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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.
