European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - March 28, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 4 the stars and stripes Friday March 28, 1986 pact of d to let German firms join ski project Britain made similar agreement 3 Morffis ago Washington a the United states and Germany signed an agreement thursday Clearing the Way for German companies and research organizations to participate in president Reagan s Star wars program the Pentagon announced. The agreement reached in principle last week and nailed Down during talks in Washington tuesday was signed by de sense Secretary Caspar w. Weinberger and German economics minister Martin Bangemann. A senior . Defense department offi Cial who briefed reporters on condition he not be identified described the agreement As setting up Basic ground rules for German companies to bid on and receive Star wars contracts. The agreement does not commit the Ger Man government to support Star wars research financially the official said. But it does contain enough flexibility to allow government supported research establishments to participate on certain projects if they desire. The signing of the Accord makes Ger Many the second . Ally to formally in robber collects unjust desserts from ice Cream shop Bethesda my. Up an ice Cream parlor Man Ager thought he was outsmarting a thief when he confidently handed Over his store s Money during a robbery he knew would happen. But it was Nathan Peabody of Bob s famous ice Cream who got stung. Peabody told police a Man called claiming he was a police officer. The caller said authorities had a tip the ice Cream parlor was going to be robbed later that night. Peabody was told not to be a hero and to give the robber the Money. He was told police would arrest the suspect a Man wanted in a string of robberies just outside the store. I d been fooled sure enough at 10 25 . Est a Man with a scruffy Beard entered brandishing a knife and demanding Money. Peabody offered the Cash and watched the suspect flee. Peabody waited for police. He then had to Call them. We d just been had Peabody said. I was t scared. I was just mad i d been  Montgomery county police sgt. Kerry Geehreng said he s never heard of such a scheme. This is something new to me he said. This is definitely a new twist. I just Hope nobody picks up on it. It just shows you never know who you re talking to on  fire destroys car firm s storage Hall Neuss Germany a a fire destroyed the main parts storage Hall of the Nissan Auto company Here Caus ing $17.3 million in damage a company spokesman said. Dorse the participation of its scientists and corporations in the Star wars project which is known formally As the strategic defense initiative. England initiated a similar Accord on dec. 6. . Officials have said they expect similar agreements to be reached with is Rael Italy and Japan. Star wars Calls for the development of lasers and other exotic weapons that could be deployed in space As Well As on the ground to automatically shoot Down any nuclear missiles fired at the United states or its allies. German Chancellor Helmut Kohl and Weinberger announced last wednesday in Grafe Woehr Germany that they had reached Basic agreement on participation by German firms in Star wars research. The senior Pentagon official who briefed reporters thursday said the meeting be tween Kohl and Weinberger represented the turning Point in the negotiations. One problem discussed by the two was the status of companies based in West Ber Lin. That City is a demilitarized zone governed by the United states Britain and France. The United states refused to in clude a special clause in the agreement stat ing German firms based in West Berlin could participate in military research the official said. West Berlin firms will be free to participate in unclassified projects that might have Broad application to Star wars the official explained but they will not be Al Lowed to bid on classified work. While the United states and Germany have agreed their memorandum of under standing will not be released publicly the Pentagon official said it contained the Fol lowing Points the agreement provides for the participation of the German Industry research establishments and other entities in the strategic defense  the German government will establish an inter ministerial group to oversee the participation of German companies but the practical reality is that defense department officials expect to Deal with the German ministry of defense on a Day to Day basis. The memorandum makes Clear that German companies will not be precluded from negotiating agreements allowing com Mercial applications for any technology they develop but the United states As the entity paying the Bills will retain proprietary rights. The agreement does not guarantee German companies any specific Dollar amount of Star wars contracts. It Calls for establishment of a German Liaison office in Washington to serve As a conduit for requests for bidding information and the submission of bids. In addition to the Star wars agreement the United states and Germany also signed a non legally binding agreement that emphasizes the need for both countries to control the Export of Western technology. This second agreement sets up a More formal mechanism of Liaison offices to allow urgent consultations whenever necessary on the sharing or Protection of any advanced technology the official said. The senior Pentagon official predicted thursday the German government will be less intimately involved in the strategic de sense initiative than the British govern ment but added the United states was quite satisfied with the Accord. Used car dealer Kim Plaisance displays a sign in front of his business in Pasadena Texas showing his sup port of the . 6th Fleet s response to libyan rockets sign of the times up photo fired by forces led by col. Moa mar khad Afy. Earlier this year Plaisance had gotten a lot of response to his sign that read honk if you want to waste  go death toll Feu below 2,000 for fiscal 1985 by Norman Black a military writer Washington because of the Vir Tual absence of combat related deaths the number of Active duty servicemen who lost their lives in fiscal 1985 dropped below 2,000 for the first time since at least 1980, according to a Pentagon report. The new statistics also suggest that servicemen did a better Job of avoiding training and off duty accidents last year compared to 1984, but were slightly More prone to committing suicide. The 112-Page report charts 1,989 deaths of Active duty personnel from All causes in fiscal 1985, compared to 2,311 in fiscal 1984. During both years the armed forces included roughly 2.1 million men and women. The fiscal 1984 total had been swollen by combat deaths resulting from the bombing of the Marine compound in Beirut and the invasion of Grenada. By contrast Only four servicemen lost their lives in fiscal 1985 in the combat re lated category. Those were the four marines killed june 19, 1985, by terrorists while off duty and sitting at an outdoor cafe in san Salvador. The remaining 1,985 deaths in fiscal 1985 were attributed to illness accidents homicides and suicides. The Pentagon was unable to specify the last year in which Active duty deaths total de fewer than 2,000. The defense depart ment has been preparing an annual consolidated report on worldwide casualties Only since 1980. Before fiscal 1985, the lowest casualty total disclosed since the new re porting system began was 2,204 in fiscal1983. Although the report provides no details of specific deaths it does Divide fatalities among various categories in a Way to identify trends. For example the study found that 1,206 servicemen lost their lives accidentally in fiscal 1985, compared to 1,333 the year before. There were 256 suicides counted last year however up from 217 in fiscal 1984. Continuing a trend of Many years the study found that service members commit Ting suicide relied almost exclusively on the use of a gun. Of the 256 suicides committed during the year 154 involved gunshot or Small arms  of the accidental deaths Only seven were attributed to alcohol or drug abuse in fiscal 1985, compared to 13 the year before. The number of deaths attributed to aircraft accidents also declined from 196 in fiscal 1984 to 172 last year. The number of deaths attributed to ill Ness or disease Rose slightly with 389 reported in fiscal 1985 compared to 373 in fiscal 1984. Heart attacks remained by far the predominant cause of illness related death with 251 in fiscal 1985 compared to 244 i fiscal 1984. Deaths attributed to civil homicides remained virtually Static 91 in fiscal 1985 compared to 92 the year earlier