Vienna - Three EU "wise men" met the Austrian Chancellor, Mr Wolfgang Schussel, yesterday to begin an examination of Vienna's human rights record which it hopes will end its isolation within the bloc. Mr Schussel said before the talks he was confident that the three, who have been asked to compile a report on Austria's adherence to European values, would find nothing to criticise.
But the World Jewish Congress in New York said Vienna should not be given a clean bill of health until the issue of restitution for victims of the Nazi era was fully resolved.
The former Finnish president Mr Martti Ahtisaari, the former Spanish foreign minister Mr Marcelino Oreja and German academic Mr Jochen Frowein do not plan to make public comments until they are finished.