(7 Oct 1999) German/Eng/Nat

Lawyers for survivors of Nazi slave labour camps aren't happy with the German government's offer of compensation.

Berlin has offered three-point-three (b) billion U-S dollars compensation -- about 55-hundred U-S dollars per survivor.

The lawyers for the camp survivors have been pushing for well over 20 (B) billion.

The German government called the offer generous given its budget constraints.

The compensation talks continue at the State Department.

Up to two-point-five (m) million people were forced into labour in Germany during World War Two.

Deputy U-S Undersecretary of State, Stuart Eizenstat, said the negotiations had made significant progress, while German envoy Otto Lambsdorff has admitted to a news conference that a quick resolution was vital for those concerned.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"We have made a great deal of progress in the last two days on the establishment of mechanisms for resolving issues without resorting to lengthy litigation. Today I would like to announce some of our most important accomplishments from our meetings this week, I'll list them briefly and then make more detailed comments. One - We have resolved the difficult issue of eligibility. Two - We have agreed on a structure for resolving all cases concerning damages to property, such as banking and insurance. Three - We have essentially agreed on a mechanism for providing the German companies with the legal peace they have sought from the beginning of this process. Four- Because of the significant progress we have made on all the substantive and procedural issues concerning the German foundation, for the first time German enterprises and the German government have placed a concrete financial offer on the table. Their offer of six billion DM is much higher than the companies and the government had initially considered earlier this year, and represents a basis for serious discussions."
SUPERCAPTION: Stuart Eizenstat, Deputy U-S Secretary of State

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"The other parties have not accepted the German offer, their responses have varied widely among them. The other parties should now step forward with a reasoned response for this process to be successful, both sides need to continue to show the flexibility that has enabled us to make the progress we have achieved to date.")
SUPERCAPTION: Stuart Eizenstat, Deputy U-S Secretary of State

SOUNDBITE: (German)
"When I was a student I learned that good justice has to be speedy justice and we really don't have any time to loose and that we are working on a rapid solution.")
SUPERCAPTION: Otto Lambsdorff, German envoy to talks

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