STEERING GROUP
Geneva, 1 October 2001

LIST OF PARTICIPANTS

1. Mr. Jan Mokrzycki - Federation of Poles in the UK - United Kingdom
2. Mr. Kristian Ottosen - National Fund for War Victims - Norway
3. Ms. Grethe Frydenlund - AssistantNational Fund for War Victims - Norway
4. Mr. Lothar Evers - Bundesverband Information und Beratung für NS-Verfolgte - Germany
5. Dr. Paul Dostert - Ministère d'EtatConseil National de la Résistance - Luxembourg
6. Ms. Natasa Zupancic - Ministry of Foreign AffairsElected Representative of Slovene Claimants - Slovenia
7. Mr. Myroslaw Smorodsky - Counsellor at Law - USA
8. Mr. Raymond Renkens - Institut National des Invalides de Guerre - Belgium
9. Mr. Victor Godin - Institut National des Invalides de Guerre - Belgium
10. Mr. Les Kuczynski - Polish American Congress - USA
11. Prof. Valter Merazzi - Comitato Istituto di Storia Contemporanea "Pier Amato Perretta" - Italy
12. Mr. Gerassimos Balaouras - National Council for Claiming Debts of Germany towards Greece - Greece
13. Drs. P.A.M. Bosman -Director SBO - Netherlands
14. Mr. Stefan Palison - Commissioner IRU Holocaust Committee
15. Mr. Victor Famulson - International Roma Union (Assisting Mr. Palison)
16. Mr. Henri-Philippe Sambuc - Lawyer Roma National Congress

IOM PARTICIPANTS

17. Mr. Dirk De Winter - Director 
18. Mr. Delbert Field - Deputy Director & Coordinator Humanitarian Programmes 
19. Mr. Norbert Wühler - DirectorClaims Processing Unit 
20. Ms. Monica Halil - Senior Legal Officer Claims Processing Unit/GFLCP 
21. Ms. Cheryl Hill - Senior Legal Officer Claims Processing Unit/HVAP 
22. Ms Anke Strauss - Senior Legal OfficerGFLCP 
23. Ms. Marie-Agnes Heine - Public Information Officer 
24. Mr. Stephen Chambers - Assistant Coordinator, Humanitarian Programmes

 

Resolution 1 (Adopted with the abstention of the Belgian Observers):

The IOM International Steering Group represents those victims of the Nazi regime who are not represented by JCC or the Central and Eastern European Foundations. As representatives of those victims we wish to express our extreme concern at the distinct possibility that due to a financial shortfall in the moneys allocated to IOM, the compensation to those victims under the German Foundation Act may be reduced. We demand that the principles of equal, equitable and fair treatment of all victims, irrespective of their domicile be adhered to. Furthermore, we expect IOM and governments to support our stand and to make every effort through diplomatic and other channels to achieve justice.

Resolution 2 (Adopted unanimously):

The IOM Steering Group represents those victims of the Nazi regime who are not represented by the JCC or CEE partner foundations. As representatives of those victims, we request:

1. That the Foundation provide to all partner organizations a full and complete accounting of all deposits, interest earned, and distributions made from the beginning date of the Foundation to the present; 
2. That the Foundation indicate which entities, German or otherwise, have contributed to the Capital Foundation Fund and in what amounts; 
3. That the Foundation identify what financial management programmes are in place to ensure the protection of the highest value possible of the capital funds. 
4. That the Foundation disclose what procedures or guidelines were in place regarding currency exchange of Foundation Funds to local currency of a recipient country.

Resolution 3 (Adopted with the abstention of the Norwegian SG member and the Belgian Observers) :

In order to receive full clarification (a) to the points subject of the two preceding resolutions and (b) to the various worries and questions generally raised by the International Steering Group members in relation to the serious difficulties faced by IOM to concretely expedite the diffusion of information and the claims process, including those difficulties resulting from Roma and Sinti past and current situation, the IOM International Steering Group formally asks IOM to transmit to the Board of Directors of the German Foundation and to the competent authorities of the German Government, their request to meet them as quickly as possible.