BERLIN (Reuters) – Germany said on Monday it had “zero” chance to pay compensation to Athens World War II, after the newly elected Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras reiterated a demand for Greece on the subject. Tsipras, in his first major speech in parliament on Sunday, presented plans to dismantle the Greek austerity program, denied an extension of international bailout of 240,000 million euros and promised to seek reparations against Germany. The demand for compensation, revived by the Greek government in 2013 although no official steps were taken, was rejected outright by Sigmar Gabriel, German Vice Chancellor and Minister of Economy. “The probability is zero,” said Gabriel when asked if Germany would pay compensation to Greece, adding that a treaty signed 25 years ago had ended such demands. Germany and Greece share a complex history that has complicated the debate over the debt. German troops occupied Greece during the Second World War, a theme which emerged from the Greek nation was forced to implement tough reforms in return for a bailout partly funded by its partners in the euro area. Many Greeks have blamed Germany, a country with weight in the euro area, austerity, which generated a new attempt to reclaim billions of euros to Berlin for war reparations. Gabriel was referring to the” Treaty of Final Agreement with respect to Germany “, also known as the” Two Plus Four Treaty “, signed in September 1990 by West Germany and East Germany and the four allies of the Second War shortly before the German reunification. Under its terms, the four powers renounced all rights previously held in Germany. For Berlin, the document also adopted by Greece and other countries, meant a limit to possible future compensation claims. Thus, Germany denies owe more compensation to Greece for World War II in addition to DM 115 million paid in 1960, one of 12 compensation agreements signed with nations Westerners. Continued …
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