PORTLAND (AP) — The Portland Archdiocese has filed court papers asking that some 70 lawsuits against it alleging sexual or physical abuse by priests be settled by mediation and binding arbitration.

The claims ask for more the $340 million in damages, and in July the archdiocese became the first in the nation to seek bankruptcy protection.

The papers were filed Friday in U.S. Bankruptcy Court.

In a separate statement the archdiocese, which heads the Roman Catholic Church in Western Oregon, said it wants to streamline procedures so that the resources it has can be used to pay valid claims of victims instead of going to lawyers and other consultants.

From 1950 through 2003 the archdiocese has settled about 130 such lawsuits for $53 million.

In September it filed for a jury trial to force insurance companies to pay part of that amount and to cover future claims and to help pay for related legal expenses.

The archdiocese said its mediation and arbitration proposal is based on mediations in 2000 and 2003 that settled some 100 claims.

Under the proposal all claims would be mediated, opposing parties could question witnesses and the archdiocese would have access to personal information about the victims.

If no agreement is reached either side could ask for a jury trial or binding arbitration under which the arbitrator would determine whether the alleged abuse took place and who was responsible for any damage.

After each side presents its offer, the arbitrator would pick the amount, if any, to be paid.

The sessions would be conducted in private.

Lawyers for the abuse plaintiffs were not immediately available for comment.