Press Release Historical Commission's Work Programme Approved Sponsors Accept the Commission's Draft Programme   The work programme of the Historical Commission appointed to look into Nazi looting of property as well as restitution and compensation in Austria has been officially approved. It had been submitted to the Commission's sponsors on 16 March 1999. By a letter dated today, the sponsors - Federal Chancellor Viktor Klima, Vice-Chancellor Wolfgang Schüssel, National Assembly Speaker Heinz Fischer and the Speaker of the Federal Council (the Austrian Parliament's second chamber) Gottfried Jaud - informed the Commission's chairman Clemens Jabloner that they had accepted the work programme. This means that the sponsors approved both the projected research programme and the time-frame and budget without alterations. Today's session of the Commission was devoted to intensive work on the Commission's further procedure. International tenders for the research projects will be invited in the coming weeks. The contracts will be awarded before the end of July in order to obtain first results as quickly as possible. The Commission notes once again in this context that unrestricted access to the relevant files in public as well as private archives is a vital basis for its work. If you have further questions, we will be happy to answer them: Sekretariat der Historikerkommission, Wien 3, Nottendorfer Gasse 2 phone 79540 ext. 180 or 181 fax: 79540-186 hiskom@oesta.gv.at