Nicholas Soames, minister of state for the armed forces, denied any cover-up but said he had received "flawed and inaccurate" information about use of the toxic chemicals from civilian and military officials in the Defense Ministry. Some of those officials, who were not identified other than that they had worked in the Surgeon General's office, may face charges, he said.
But rejecting a Defense Ministry report that effectively exonerated Soames of deliberately lying to Parliament in earlier statements, the opposition Labor Party called for his resignation. "He knew all about this, he made a great error of judgment, he should resign," said David Clark, who speaks on defense issues for Labor.
GENEVA - The government yesterday took charge of a new $71-million fund set up by major Swiss banks to aid needy Holocaust survivors as political resistance grew within the country to any contribution from taxpayers' money.
The plan allows Jewish and non-Jewish victims of the Holocaust to apply for financial help, regardless of whether they had any connection with Switzerland during or after the war. The fund will be managed by four persons named by the government and three non-Swiss Jews recommended by the World Jewish Restitution Organization.