§ The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government what is present position with regard to the German Democratic Republic's payment of reparations to the victims of Nazi persecutions in East Germany.
§ THE PARIAMENTARY UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE, FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE (LORD GORONWY-ROBERTS)My Lords, compensation for victims of Nazi persecution was one of the questions raised during the preliminary talks on outstanding financial and property questions between the United Kingdom and the German Democratic Republic held in East Berlin on April 17 and 18. During the talks, East German officials reaffirmed their Government's public position; namely, that the G.D.R. considers that it has fulfilled its legal and moral obligations in this respect. We made it clear to the East Germans that we shall wish to revert to this subject in subsequent negotiations.
LORD JANNERMy Lords, I thank my noble friend for his reply. In view of the horrific experiences that these unfortunate victims had at the time of the Nazi régime; in view of the fact that East Gemany has in fact a large amount of money and property which belongs to 196 the victims of Nazi persecution: and in view of the fact that a considerable period has now elapsed and that in the near future people are likely to die as a consequence of the kind of treatment that they then received, would my noble friend be good enough to impress upon the Republic that on humanitarian grounds there is an obligation on their part to meet the claims, not only of people who are British nationals but of nationals throughout the world?
§ LORD GORONWY-ROBERTSMy Lords, these are precisely the points which we have constantly pressed on the East German authorities. In our last discussions with them, on April 17 and 18, our delegation made it absolutely clear to the G.D.R. that we consider they have a moral obligation to make good, in so far as it can be made good, the wrong suffered by many people in their territory during the Third Reich. We shall repeat our position as strongly and as firmly as possible in every subsequent discussion with this Government.