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German president supports demand for war reparations

3/5/2015

Angela Merkel

Joachim Gauck, the president of Germany, expressed his support for demands by Greece that Germany provide reparations for destruction and damage caused during the Nazi occupation of Greece during World War II. In an interview in the Sueddeutsche Zeitung Gauck said that Germany should consider its historical responsibility to Greece:

"We are not only people who are living in this day and age but we're also the descendants of those who left behind a trail of destruction in Europe during World War Two -- in Greece, among other places, where we shamefully knew little about it for so long.It's the right thing to do for a history-conscious country like ours to consider what possibilities there might be for reparations."

For the most part Germany has ignored or rejected the Greek demand for $312 billion dollars approximately in reparations. German officials argue that reparation was already paid in 1960. In April, vice-chancellor and economy minister, Sigmar Gabriel said the demand was stupid. He said that the Greeks were simply trying to get some leeway from its euro zone creditors as they tried to reach a deal for releasing more funds. The issue, Gabriel, said has nothing to do with conditions for further financial aid. While Gabriel may be right about that, reparations payment could help keep Greece afloat while negotiations for a deal are completed, and the payments might also be used as a carrot to entice Greece to agree to further pension cuts and raise taxes, requirements that have been regarded as "red lines" by the Greek government not to be crossed so far.

The presidency in Germany is mostly a ceremonial post and Gauck has little power but even Chancellor Angela Merkel agreed that Germany had to deal with some sensitivity with the issue of the Nazi occupation of Greece during the Second World War:

“One can’t draw the line on history.We see this in the discussion in Greece and also in other European countries. We Germans do have a special responsibility to deal in an aware, sensitive and knowledgeable way with what we perpetrated under Nazism.”

While Merkel insists on recognizing the long lasting wounds caused by Nazi actions, she did not go on to address Greek demands for further war reparations. The German government claims the matter of reparations was closed with Europe's acceptance in 1990 of the treaty uniting East and West Germany. While reparations might provide a way to provide Greece with vital cash to stave off a default while negotiations were ongoing, German officials seem unlikely to actually make any further payments as it probably would cause a political uproar in Germany and might not lead Greece to change its position on reducing pensions and increasing taxes. In fact, if Greece gets the cash it needs, it might have less incentive to yield to the demands of its creditors.

Sources:
http://www.voanews.com/content/greece-says-it-wont-request-financial-bailout/2746021.html
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/05/01/us-eurozone-greece-germany-reparations-idUSKBN0NM43J20150501
http://www.dw.de/german-president-gauck-raises-prospect-of-world-war-two-reparations-for-greece/a-18424011
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-05-02/merkel-says-germany-can-t-cut-off-nazi-past-cites-greece

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Kim Jong un will not visit Moscow

1/5/2015

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Kim Jong-un Signature

Kim Jong-un, the North Korean leader, will not visit Moscow for celebrations to mark the 70th anniversary of the ending of the Second World War, the Russian president said according to a Putin spokesperson.

Kim was expected not only to attend the military parade but also to have a meeting with Putin. This would have been his first trip abroad since taking power after the death of his father Kim Jong-il in 2011. Kim's father had good relations with Russia during the Soviet period. He travelled to Moscow to visit in his armoured train as he feared flying.

The Putin spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, told journalists: “He has decided to stay in Pyongyang. This decision is related to internal Korean affairs.” He noted that this information had come through diplomatic channels. North Korea has released no formal statement about the cancelled visit. Kim may have trouble keeping control at home.

South Korean intelligence reports that Kim ordered the execution of 15 people this year. South Korean intelligence is not always accurate about what is happening but in 2013 Kim purged and executed his powerful uncle, Chang Song-thaek, who was earlier his mentor. This event was reported, however, while the executions have not been. The family dynasty may be rather dysfunctional. The South Korean intelligence report claims that several top officials were among those executed, including two vice ministers who had challenged his policies and members of an orchestra. The orchestra members perhaps may have revealed family secrets since Kim's wife was a member of the orchestra. However, much reporting from South Korea and elsewhere is not based upon evidence that is easily verified. As Stephen Evans from BBC News put it: "Its impossible to know what is going on in Kim Jong-un's inner circle."

Earlier Kim disappeared for a period of time, prompting all sorts of speculation about what was happening. The latest theory is that he simply had an operation on one leg. His initial appearances afterward were with a cane. Now photos have appeared purportedly showing he climbed to the top of North Korea's highest peak although some speculate that he might have had some help getting there. His wife disappeared from view for a while as well but has now been photographed at events with Kim. Kim actually appears with his wife much more than his predecessor ever did.

Last year also, at least six important officials disappeared from public view. South Korean media reported that they had been executed. Perhaps they retired or were just fired but this would be too undramatic for South Korean media. The recent execution reports were given by South Korean intelligence to a parliamentary committee in Seoul. Kim may very well have problems in his government. He probably was anxious to develop relations with Russia since he relies at present almost exclusively on his relationship to China. Perhaps, he feared that if he flew to Russia he would not be let back in to North Korea. But that is more speculation!

Additional resources:
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/apr/29/kim-jong-un-executes-15-top-officials-south-korean-spies?CMP=share_btn_tw

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German president supports demand for war reparations

Kim Jong un will not visit Moscow

Ken Hanly

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