Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08SKOPJE19
2008-01-14 13:47:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Skopje
Cable title:
MACEDONIA: GROUNDBREAKING AGREEMENT ON JEWISH
how-toVZCZCXRO1526 RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG DE RUEHSQ #0019 0141347 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 141347Z JAN 08 ZDK FM AMEMBASSY SKOPJE TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6883 INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE 0148 RHEHNSC/WHITE HOUSE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL RUEHSQ/USDAO SKOPJE MK RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC RUEKDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC RUESEN/SKOPJE BETA RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 3731
UNCLAS SKOPJE 000019
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EUR/SCE PFEUFFER
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL KIRF MK
SUBJECT: MACEDONIA: GROUNDBREAKING AGREEMENT ON JEWISH
PROPERTY RESTITUTION
SUMMARY
UNCLAS SKOPJE 000019
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EUR/SCE PFEUFFER
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL KIRF MK
SUBJECT: MACEDONIA: GROUNDBREAKING AGREEMENT ON JEWISH
PROPERTY RESTITUTION
SUMMARY
1. (SBU) In a groundbreaking agreement with Macedonia's
Jewish community concluded December 28, 2007, the Macedonian
government (GOM) completed the process of restitution of all
heirless Jewish property in the country. Fully satisfied
with the decision, the Jewish community is planning to use
the 17 million Euros agreed as restitution to complete a
Holocaust memorial and art center in Skopje. End summary.
2. (SBU) The Ambassador met with the President of the
Macedonian Jewish community, Zdravko Sami, on January 3 to
follow up on post's efforts to encourage the GOM to take a
more proactive role in resolving the restitution of heirless
Jewish property nationalized or otherwise confiscated by
previous governments when Macedonia was a part of the former
Yugoslavia. Sami confirmed that the Jewish community and the
GOM had concluded and signed an agreement on December 28
committing the government to provide 17 million Euros worth
of bonds to the local Jewish community as restitution. This
amount, in addition to earlier compensation paid or promised
to the Jewish community, effectively addresses all of the
community's heirless private property claims under current
laws.
3. (SBU) The Jewish community estimates that the amount
pledged by the government will allow them to complete
construction of the Holocaust memorial and an art center
(planned for completion in March 2008). Sami believes the
community will have sufficient funds left over to create an
endowment to maintain the Holocaust center's programming.
The GOM will issue denationalization bonds to the Jewish
community sometime in the spring of 2008. Those bonds can
then be used as collateral to secure a bank loan for
completion of the construction.
COMMENT
4. (SBU) This agreement follows the Ambassador's intensive
recent lobbying with the Prime Minister and other high-level
officials for completion of the Jewish property restitution
process. The Macedonian Jewish community and the American
Jewish Committee strongly praised the signed agreement, which
adequately restitutes all heirless Jewish property in
Macedonia. We will continue to monitor the case and make
sure that the agreed-upon issuance of bonds and financial
transfers to the Jewish community are completed on time.
MILOVANOVIC
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EUR/SCE PFEUFFER
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL KIRF MK
SUBJECT: MACEDONIA: GROUNDBREAKING AGREEMENT ON JEWISH
PROPERTY RESTITUTION
SUMMARY
1. (SBU) In a groundbreaking agreement with Macedonia's
Jewish community concluded December 28, 2007, the Macedonian
government (GOM) completed the process of restitution of all
heirless Jewish property in the country. Fully satisfied
with the decision, the Jewish community is planning to use
the 17 million Euros agreed as restitution to complete a
Holocaust memorial and art center in Skopje. End summary.
2. (SBU) The Ambassador met with the President of the
Macedonian Jewish community, Zdravko Sami, on January 3 to
follow up on post's efforts to encourage the GOM to take a
more proactive role in resolving the restitution of heirless
Jewish property nationalized or otherwise confiscated by
previous governments when Macedonia was a part of the former
Yugoslavia. Sami confirmed that the Jewish community and the
GOM had concluded and signed an agreement on December 28
committing the government to provide 17 million Euros worth
of bonds to the local Jewish community as restitution. This
amount, in addition to earlier compensation paid or promised
to the Jewish community, effectively addresses all of the
community's heirless private property claims under current
laws.
3. (SBU) The Jewish community estimates that the amount
pledged by the government will allow them to complete
construction of the Holocaust memorial and an art center
(planned for completion in March 2008). Sami believes the
community will have sufficient funds left over to create an
endowment to maintain the Holocaust center's programming.
The GOM will issue denationalization bonds to the Jewish
community sometime in the spring of 2008. Those bonds can
then be used as collateral to secure a bank loan for
completion of the construction.
COMMENT
4. (SBU) This agreement follows the Ambassador's intensive
recent lobbying with the Prime Minister and other high-level
officials for completion of the Jewish property restitution
process. The Macedonian Jewish community and the American
Jewish Committee strongly praised the signed agreement, which
adequately restitutes all heirless Jewish property in
Macedonia. We will continue to monitor the case and make
sure that the agreed-upon issuance of bonds and financial
transfers to the Jewish community are completed on time.
MILOVANOVIC