Letter: Jews, Arabs and stolen Nazi gold

Sir: The change of heart of Swiss authorities in co-operating with investigations into Nazi loot ("Swiss asked: 'Where is that stolen gold?' ", 11 September) would have been more creditable if the documents which stirred them had been uncovered in Switzerland rather than the United States.

If similar goodwill had been demonstrated earlier, many intended beneficiaries of accounts opened by Jews during the Holocaust would have been able to settle claims which have been outstanding for decades.

Fresh legislation in Switzerland should aim to do more than assist inquiries that draw upon archives which are more freely accessible abroad. In addition to tracing accounts and their legitimate inheritors, it should seek, out of the identified residue of unclaimed accounts of similar provenance, to establish a fund for surviving victims of the Holocaust and other war crimes.

ROBERT WOKLER

Manchester