Poland sends diplomatic note over request for WWII reparations from Germany

WARSAW, Nov. 23 (Xinhua) -- Poland has sent a diplomatic note to all European Union (EU) countries, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the Council of Europe concerning its war reparations claim against Germany, a Polish deputy foreign minister said on Wednesday.

On Sept. 1, the Polish government presented a comprehensive report detailing the material losses suffered by Poland during World War II. It is asking for financial reparation from Germany to the tune of 1.3 trillion euros (1.3 trillion U.S. dollars).

Subsequently, Poland's foreign ministry sent a diplomatic note to Germany requesting compensation for the war losses. However, Germany maintains that the issue of reparations to Poland is closed.

Polish deputy foreign minister Arkadiusz Mularczyk, who headed the team tasked with preparing the report, told the Polish Press Agency (PAP) that the diplomatic note had been sent to inform diplomats, politicians, those involved in human rights and international lawyers that "the issue is unresolved, that it concerns the European and international rule of law, human rights."

Mularczyk said the document showed Germany had not settled the losses suffered by Poland as a result of the war; it had not returned looted artworks or bank assets, nor compensated Polish citizens for the harm they had suffered as a result of Germany's aggression.

He said that Poland wanted to start an international discussion on the matter, saying that Berlin had not settled its account with Poland, and had not yet replied to the diplomatic note sent by Warsaw.