ITALIAN PAPER ON COMPENSATION FOR CONFISCATED PROPERTY AFTER WWII

LJUBLJANA/TRIESTE, July 18 (Hina) - The question of property left behind in Slovenia and Croatia by Italian 'Esuli' after World War II could, based on similar experiences with property belonging the Sudeten refugees in the Czech Republic, become an item for negotiation between Slovenia and the European Union, the Trieste based "Il Piccolo" daily writes in Thursday's issue. #L# The daily claims that the Italian government should use the resoluteness of Austria when it set up a commission that would investigate the possibility of property restoration to Austrians expelled from Slovenia after World War II. The daily reminds however, that both the presidents of the Czech Republic, Vaclav Havel, and Slovenia, Milan Kucan, jointly objected to this however, their Austrian counterpart, Thomas Klestil, said that this related to a moral responsibility for the injustice done to German and Austrian refugees. Klestil denied that this was opening Pandora's box of post-war European history. A combined commission to investigate the historical questions relating to Slovenia, was set up by Italy as well but its results have not been released and the Italian Esuli association from Istria, Dalmatia and the Slovenian coastlines is unsatisfied with statements made by the head of the Italian parliamentary commission for foreign affairs, Gustavo Selva, who said in Ljubljana that Italy would not set conditions for Slovenia's accession to the EU and NATO depending on resolving these issues. However, he did not say when Italy would take over an amount of 35 million dollars which Ljubljana ensured to pay Rome in order to close the issue which would then be considered formally over. (hina) sp ms