Leaders of the movement to extend the statute of limitations on Nazi war crimes beyond the Dec. 31, 1979 deadline are predicting that more than 300 members of the Bundestag will vote against immunity for war criminals after that date. Only 252 votes are required to remove the deadline on prosecution. The Bundestag will begin debating the matter March 29.
Meanwhile, Chancellor Helmut Schmidt, acting in his -capacity as a Bundestag Deputy, has signed the draft legislation which would place no limits on the initiation of judicial proceedings against was criminals. Interviewed on French television In connection with the recent screening of the American NBC-TV “Holocaust” series, Schmidt said most deputies of the Social Democratic Party oppose the cut-off date. Bundestag members will be allowed to vote their conscience on the issue and none of the political parties will take an official stand.
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