Germany: War reparations to Poland resolved but debate OK

BERLIN (AP) - Germany's foreign minister has suggested an experts' group could be created to look into calls from some of Poland's nationalist leaders that the country should be paid World War II reparations from Berlin.

However, Sigmar Gabriel also made very clear during his meeting with new Polish Foreign Minister Jacek Czaputowicz on Wednesday that under international law and according to bilateral treaties between the two nations, the question of reparations has long been concluded.

Czaputowicz said he was open to the idea of having experts look into the whole issue. He underlined that the public debate on reparations was an important one in Poland that needed to be discussed.

Both men said a close German-Polish relationship was important for the two countries and the European Union as well.