[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: WILLIAM J. CLINTON (2000, Book I)]
[June 12, 2000]
[Pages 1133-1134]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Statement on the German Negotiations To Compensate Victims of Nazi Slave 
and Forced Labor
June 12, 2000

    I am very pleased that a major hurdle to agreement on the historic 
German initiative dealing with wrongs arising from World War II has now 
been overcome. I am pleased to announce that there is now agreement on 
the mechanism for providing enduring and all-encompassing legal peace 
for German companies. This is an important day for those victims of 
Nazi-era wrongs who have waited 50 years for justice. It is also an 
important day for Chancellor Schroeder and 
German companies. They have shown remarkable leadership in trying to 
rectify the wrongs committed during the Nazi era.
    I hope the German Parliament, whose leaders have been involved in 
these negotiations, will be able to complete their work on legislation 
expeditiously so that payments to the victims can begin this year.
    German-American relations are based on our common commitment to 
human dignity coming from a shared history of democracy for over

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50 years. This unique German initiative, reaching out to victims of the 
20th century's most horrible tragedy, will convey dramatically to the 
entire world Germany's commitment to justice and human rights. Our 
countries are entering the new millennium together determined to protect 
the inviolability of human dignity.