European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - February 11, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Inside stripes o army developing new rating system for nc03 Page 2 d fast moving Winter storm hits Northeast Page 5 o a guide to Europe s restaurant and store hours daily Magazine the sts5anj�fripes authored unofficial publication Foft Thiim. Aimed Ponce vol. 45, no. 297 wednesday february 11, 1987 it it  d 8693 a Dollar Down enough Baker hints says Trade deficit appears of be leveling off Washington a Treasury Secretary James a. Maker Iii told con Gress tuesday Hal inc . Trade deficit appears to be leveling off under pressure from a declining Dollar and indicated Hal further Falls in inc Dollar against the japanese yen May not be desirable. Noting thai he yen had strengthened 47 percent against the Dollar in the last two years. Baker told the panel at some Point it becomes rather court Ler productive to talk about further Exchange Rnic  sales of German Marks to . Personnel for personal use will be at the Rale of i.8u wednesday based on a Price fix ing at midday and allowance for Stan Dard handling charges although Baker did not say directly that the Dollar should fall no further his statement is one of his strongest Public comments yet suggesting that the admin is nation is not seeking a further decline in inc Dollar against the yen. A weaker Dollar makes imported products More expensive at Home and . Goods less costly Throat and should theoretically help to ease the Trade deficit which hit a record $169.8 billion lost year. Baker appearing before inc House ways and Means committee also said that president Reagan would strongly re Sis Trade legislation limiting his flexibility or requiring mandatory retaliation against trading partners. Some of the Trade proposals we have seen from the Hill conflict significantly with the administration s free Trade and competitiveness objectives Baker said. Baker reiterated inc administration s Contention Hal Exchange Rale changes see Baker on Page 2b t statement Way Contention thai Exchange ral Chan Clun comment i h admin thase terrorists put off plan to kill 4 hostages. Est Mhz in no Fol  i Johy Fici to Beirut Lebanon a the kidnappers of the a bbl jul Halbal a Sheik. ". Americans and an Indian arc involved in secret Nei a photo wives of american hostages it in Beirut and read a letter from Alann Steen urging the acceptance of captors demands. From left he Hryc wives Are Firul Pulhill Bader Turner and Virgina Rose Stycn. Beirut a the of three americans and an Indian Are involved in secret negotiations with Israel after putting off their plan to kill the four educators at Midnight monday. Beirut radio stations said tuesday. The Christian run voice of Lebanon and the mos Lem voice of the nation reported that under the pro posed Deal. Israel would free 400 Arab prisoners in return for the release of the four hostages and a Cap lured israeli airman. Sec related Story on Page 5. The stations said their information that a hush hush Deal with Israel was under Way came from re ports from Washington and other  in Tel Aviv Israel officials tuesday denied Israel was involved in negotiations. But prime minister Yitzhak Shamir said Israel would be willing 10 consider a direct request for negotiations when he was asked about a possible Swap of Arab prisoners for hostages. He did not say who should Moke inc request but his answer was in the context of a statement about cooperating with the United Stales. He said no request for help had come from the United states. White House spokesman Martin filzmaier said the United states has not asked Israel to negotiate for the Freedom of american hostages in Lebanon. Our terrorism policy remains the same and i reiterate once again that we will not Ransom hostages nor will we encourage other countries to do so he said. Also tuesday Jack Seikaly so a wealthy lebanese american kidnapped four Days ago was freed unharmed after his family paid a sizable Ransom police reported. Seikaly told reporters he was Fine but he refused to discuss his kidnapping. The Beirut radio stations said the hostages would be see hostages on Page 28 sinking Dollar taking German exports Down with it bad the b  s