Ambassador J. Christian Kennedy visits Slovenia, reiterates

UNCLAS LJUBLJANA 000475

STATE for EUR/OHI, EUR/CE

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED

E.0. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM SI CASC PREL
SUBJECT: Ambassador J. Christian Kennedy visits Slovenia, reiterates
USG interest in prompt resolution of Jewish restitution process.


1. (U) SUMMARY: Ambassador J. Christian Kennedy visited Slovenia
from October 14-16, during which he reiterated the USG interest in
seeing a prompt resumption of the stalled negotiation process
between the Government of Slovenia and the World Jewish Restitution
Organization (WJRO) regarding the restitution of Jewish property.
END SUMMARY.

2. (U) During discussions on the Jewish restitution issue with
Ambassador Roman Kirn, Head of the Americas Division at the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Kirn stressed that the Slovenes are
ready to start the process, but they are still waiting on the WJRO
study to be complete. He told Ambassador Kennedy that the process
will continue with the next government, but that it will take some
time for the new government to be ready to address the issue. Kirn
gave no hint of whether or not the issue will remain under the
Ministry of Justice, or if it would shift to the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs.

3. (U) When Ambassador Kennedy asked if there will need to be
adjustments to the citizenship of claimants who abandoned their
citizenship when they left Slovenia after WW2, Kirn responded that
this is addressed in the Slovene study, but did not elaborate. He
said that it will be hard to return the citizenship to those who
abandoned it, but conceded that the issue will have to be addressed
during the talks. Kirn stated that the process will have to begin
within the framework of existing restitution laws, but acknowledged
that new legislation will be required to finalize the issue.

4. (U)Kirn mentioned that he felt that the Maribor synagogue could
be help build a sense of the importance of Jewish history and
contributions to Slovenia. He suggested that a Center for Jewish
Heritage and Studies could be established at the synagogue.

5. (U) Ambassadors Kennedy and Kirn also discussed the upcoming
Prague Conference on Holocaust-Era Assets, which will take place
June 26-30, 2009. Ambassador Kirn noted that Slovenia has received
the invitation to attend, but was concerned that there was not
enough information about the conference that would define roles and
expectations at the conference. Ambassador Kennedy explained with
some detail the main areas that the Czech invitation highlights:
Moveable property (which could include looted art and archives);
Real Estate Property; Insurance; Forced and slave labor; and
Holocaust Education. Kennedy also said that he would be in Prague
October 22-24 to talk with the Czech side about arrangements and
agenda items. His conversations would also include the suggestions
that a Friends of the Chair group be established and that working
groups be created for each theme. Ambassador Kirn hoped Ambassador
Kennedy would inform him and others about the goals of the
conference and to encourage the Czechs to make the goals clearer, to
ensure maximum participation. Ambassador Kennedy said he would get
back to Ambassador Kirn after his trip to Prague.

6. (U) Ambassador Kennedy had a more general conversation with
President Turk's Diplomatic Advisor, Dusan Snoj, who is not as well
versed in the issues as Kirn. Kennedy's primary message to Snoj was
that the President should use his moral authority to help create the
environment for a settlement. Snoj noted that the President met Dan
Mariaschin of B'nai B'rith in New York on the margins of this year's
UNGA, but the two did not get into a discussion of restitution. The
President is interested in the issue and wants to be kept informed.
He is also aware that legislative changes may be required to
implement an eventual settlement. Snoj said he looked forward to
meeting Mariaschin when the latter comes to Slovenia. Snoj also
expressed interest in the upcoming Prague conference, and asked that
the Embassy keep him informed.

7. (SBU) Ambassador Kennedy met with the President of the Slovenian
Jewish community, Andrej Kozar-Beck, to discuss the prospects for
prompt resolution of the issue with the upcoming government.
Kozar-Beck speculated that it will take 3-6 months before any new
government is in a position to deal with the restitution issue, but
that he then expected talks to proceed smoothly. He quoted 15
million USD as a potential restitution figure - but said that the
figure could have been up to 250 million USD if communist-era
records of real property were considered. (COMMENT: Kozar-Beck is
not a popular leader, and most of the board surrounding him has
resigned. There is a push to find a new leader, and one contact has
mentioned Lev Kreft, a former parliamentarian, as a potential
successor. END COMMENT.)

8. (U) During his meeting with Irena Sumi, the lead researcher on
the WJRO project, Kennedy asked how she expected the restitution
plan would proceed. She said the problem was with current Justice
Ministry officials - and they will be gone soon. She hoped that the
portfolio for property restitution and compensation would stay in
the Justice Ministry because the mid-level people there understand
the issue. She confirmed that her report is nearly ready and that it
could be presented in time to begin January discussions with a new
government. In her report, Sumi will propose that the government of
Slovenia return citizenship to those who were forced to abandon it
to leave Slovenia after the war - something no other government has
done before. (COMMENT: Sumi promised that the WJRO report was near
completion over a year ago but has yet to present a completed
package. END COMMENT)

9. (U) During a trip to eastern Slovenia, Kennedy met Erika Fuerst,
a 77-year old Auschwitz survivor, and toured the monument park in
Murska Sobota that stands where the Jewish cemetery was originally

located. Ms. Fuerst, one of only two living holocaust survivors in
Murska Sobota, showed pictures from a history of Murska Sobota and
indicated which houses had belonged to Jewish families. She talked
about the families that did not return from the camps and said that
of those who did return, most made their way to Israel shortly after
the war. She expressed concern about the accuracy of the WJRO
research team in Murska Sobota, saying they had counted some
properties that were sold or otherwise compensated. Ambassador
Kennedy assured her that the research would be thoroughly compared
with the GoS' study to make sure there was no double-counting or
other significant errors.

10. Ambassador Kennedy has cleared on this cable.

GHAFARI