Israel and the German Democratic Republic will have their first contact ever Monday in Copenhagen, the army radio station reported here Sunday.
They will meet in the Danish capital to discuss possible East German reparations for victims of Nazism, which Israel considers to be prerequisite to the establishment of diplomatic relations.
The Israeli team will be headed by Michael Shilo, adviser to the Foreign Ministry on diaspora affairs, army radio said.
Israel has long demanded that East Germany acknowledge its historic responsibility for the Holocaust and offer some restitution, even if not on the scale of West German reparations.
East Germany insisted until recently that it is anti-fascist and bears no responsibility for Hitler’s crimes.
But since the surge for democratic reforms, the new government in East Berlin has signaled it is prepared to accept a share of responsibility. It has also indicated a desire to improve relations with Israel.
The East German prime minister, Hans Modrow, said during a visit to Vienna on Friday that the GDR anticipates establishing diplomatic ties with Israel and opening negotiations on reparations for Holocaust victims.
His remarks gave credence to reports of the Copenhagen meeting, which was to have been secret but was widely leaked to the Danish media, army radio said.
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