German officials presenting plans to repatriate refugees to Afghanistan, Kosovo

Associated Press, Jun 24, 2005 5:53 AM

STUTTGART, Germany-German security officials were to address immigration issues Friday, including returning Afghan and Kosovo refugees and the delicate question of Jewish immigration.

Interior Minister Otto Schily, the nation's top security official, was meeting with his counterparts from Germany's 16 states to discuss new immigration laws that came into effect at the beginning of this year.

Key elements of the laws include planning the return of refugees from the wars in Afghanistan and Kosovo to their homelands, now that relative stability has returned to the countries.

In addition, the ministers will be discussing changes to the laws governing Jewish refugees from eastern Europe.

Germany's Jewish Community is seeking changes to the law that would grandfather the 270,000 pending applications by Jews in the former Soviet countries so that they are handled according to the old law.