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Washington -- President Clinton established by Executive Order January 11 the Nazi War Criminal Records Interagency Working Group.

The Group will "locate, inventory, recommend for declassification, and make available to the public at the National Archives and Records Administration all classified Nazi war criminal records of the United States, subject to certain designated exceptions as provided in the Act. The Working Group shall coordinate with agencies and take such actions as necessary to expedite the release of such records to the public," according to the Executive Order.

Following is the White House text:

Section 1. Establishment of Working Group. There is hereby established the Nazi War Criminal Records Interagency Working Group (Working Group). The function of the Group shall be to locate, inventory, recommend for declassification, and make available to the public at the National Archives and Records Administration all classified Nazi war criminal records of the United States, subject to certain designated exceptions as provided in the Act. The Working Group shall coordinate with agencies and take such actions as necessary to expedite the release of such records to the public.

Sec. 2. Schedule. The Working Group should complete its work to the greatest extent possible and report to the Congress within 1 year.

Sec. 3. Membership.

(a) The Working Group shall be composed of the following members:
(1) Archivist of the United States (who shall serve as Chair of the Working Group);

(2) Secretary of Defense;

(3) Attorney General;

(4) Director of Central Intelligence;

(5) Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation;

(6) Director of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum;

(7) Historian of the Department of State; and

(8) Three other persons appointed by the President.

(b) The Senior Director for Records and Access Management of the National Security Council will serve as the liaison to and attend the meetings of the Working Group. Members of the Working Group who are full-time Federal officials may serve on the Working Group through designees.

(a) To the extent permitted by law and subject to the availability of appropriations, the National Archives and Records Administration shall provide the Working Group with funding, administrative services, facilities, staff, and other support services necessary for the performance of the functions of the Working Group.

(b) The Working Group shall terminate 3 years from the date of this Executive order.

THE WHITE HOUSE,
January 11, 1999.

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