Canada Accused of Early Knowledge of Waldheim’s War-time Activities

An international human rights activist has charged that Canada knew of war crimes allegations against Austrian President-elect Kurt Waldheim but still accredited him as Austrian Ambassador to Canada in the late 1950s.

Irwin Cotler, a law professor at McGill University and legal counsel to several refuseniks, dropped a bombshell in Montreal recently by stating the Canadian government signed a 1948 United Nations document giving Waldheim the highest classification as a suspected Nazi war criminal, then accredited him 10 years later as an Austrian envoy to Canada and soon after, as Ambassador.

Cotler, a former president of the Canadian Jewish Congress, released documents he said showed Canada was aware of the UN War Crimes Commission’s findings against Waldheim and that there was sufficient evidence to try him for murder and “killing of hostages.”

CANADA HAD AT LEAST THREE DOCUMENTS

Cotler said Canada “was in receipt of at least three documents stating either Waldheim was a war criminal or there is prima facie evidence he was a war criminal. The Canadian government was there-fore approving the credentials of Waldheim when it knew and had information in its possession that he was a war criminal, “Cotler said.

Cotler said Canada may have known as early as 1947 that Yugoslavia had formally accused Waldheim of being a war criminal. “On the basis of this evaluation material submitted by Yugoslav authorities, the UN commission gave Waldheim its most serious suspect rating, the ‘A’ classification,” Cotler told reporters. “Canada joined in a decision holding that there was sufficient evidence to prosecute Waldheim as a war criminal in 1948.”

Waldheim was an Austrian envoy to Canada from 1956 to 1958 and was Austria’s first Ambassador to Canada from 1958 to 1960. The UN dossier Cotler referred to, dated Feb. 19, 1948, says that between April, 1944 and May, 1945, Waldheim was responsible for putting hostages to death.

CANADIAN ACTION IS ‘INCONCEIVABLE’

Documents approving of killings and deportations in the Balkans and bearing Waldheim’s signature and his initials support allegations of war crimes, Cotler said. He said reference to Waldheim’s war record was also made in the Central Registry of War Criminals and Security Suspects transmitted to Canada in 1948.

Cotler said he finds it “inconceivable” that Canada would accredit a foreign diplomat a person it agreed would accredit a foreign diplomat a person it agreed should be put on trial for war crimes.

Denya Tessier, an External Affairs Department spokesman, confirmed that Canada had signed the UN commission’s findings in 1948. Tessier said the Department would not issue a comment but that it is investigating the matter.