Austrian Minister calls for Waldheim’s replacement

Press, 25 February 1988, Page 8

Austrian Minister calls for Waldheim’s replacement

NZPA-Reuter Vienna The Austrian Finance Minister, Ferdinand Lacina, has called on Austria’s coalition partners to seek a replacement for President Kurt Waldheim.

In doing so, Mr Lacina became the first senior Cabinet member to mount an open challenge to Dr Waldheim since historians reported that the President had cleared the way for Nazi war crimes during his service with the German Army. “We must look for a common candidate to succeed (Dr Waldheim)” Mr Lacina told yesterday’s edition of the daily “Kurier.” “A new beginning with Waldheim is inconceivable.”

Mr Lacina’s Socialist Party offered talks last Monday with its coalition partner, the conservative People’s Party on “a new beginning in the office of the President.” Leading figures at home and abroad have demanded President Waldheim’s resignation, but senior Ministers have trodden carefully since an international group of historians found that the former United Nations Secretary-General had concealed his wartime

past. Asked if Dr Waldheim should resign before March 11, the fiftieth anniversary of Hitler’s annexation of Austria, Mr Lacina said only that the sooner the President considered what service he could render the nation, the more Austria would profit. President Waldheim has said he will stay in office. He says his accusers have provided no evidence that he is a liar and a war criminal. His staunchest Govern-

ment supporter, the Foreign Minister, Alois Mock, has said he is ready to talk to the Socialists on the issue, but insists the President join the negotiations. Mr Lacina also said he would boycott a ceremony on March 11 marking the “Anschluss” if Dr Waldheim spoke at it. “President Waldheim could save himself and all of us a lot of embarrassment if he didn’t speak on Anschluss commemoration day,” he said. The Parliamentary

President, Leopold Gratz, called for discussion on whether the ceremony, which has stirred controversy in Austria, should be held at all. Freda Meissner-Blau, the Parliamentary leader of Austria’s small Green movement, was more forthright. President Waldheim should resign before March 11, she said. She predicted that Austria would be scorned and shamed worldwide if the, ceremony went ahead with him.