European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - April 3, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse Inside stripes d Nasa probes equipment thefts Page 5 d cardinals get Perta from pirates Page 21 d 2 Secord secretaries granted immunity Page 28 the Simand Fries vol. 45. No. 348 ionized unofficial Pupu Catich for the u. A me Friday. April 3. 19&7 Ifim imy d 8693 a soviets claim go defected . Officials unable to confirm report by Chuck Vinci Washington Bureau Washington soul cd officials say an army Soldier based in Germany defected to inc soviet Union with his German wife and has been granted Asylum but Pentagon european come and . Army Europe officials have thus far been unable to confirm the report. Soviet foreign ministry spokesman Gennady Gerasimov said at a news briefing thursday that William e. Rob erts and his wife identified Only As p. Neumann had been granted Asylum be cause they were afraid of being victimized for heir progressive views Accord ing loan associated press report from Moscow Gerasimov said Roberts had been persecuted while stationed in Germany with the . Army the a report said. He did not provide details of when inc couple entered the soviet Union or How they had arrived nor did he give Rob erts rank or Hometown. There Are three . Soldiers named William a Roberts. Two Are in usar eur a private firs class and a warrant officer both with the 2nd army Cav Rygl. The other a lieutenant colonel is assigned to the staff of the . Military Academy a West Point. All three have been accounted for army officials said. Pentagon officials now Are widening he search. One possible candidate said a Pentagon source is e-2 Wade Evan Roberts 22, assigned to the 3rd in 79th Field arty in Giessen Germany who has been awol since March 2. He is now listed officially As a deserter. The army said Liu is single. His Home of record is san by Rudino Calif. The problem is that this is such a common said one official. And deep in mind Hal the Only source we have so far is a soviet spokesman. Who knows if it s really William Roberts or Robert Williams or Robertson or Williamson or something else it s going to take same time to run Down All these the alleged defection would be inc first by a . Military member to inc soviet Union since the Vietnam War but in would be the second defection to a communist country within inc lust year. Pfc. Hugo Romu Almeida assigned As a Laboratory technician a the army Hospital in bad Cansian Germany defected to Cuba last August. At the end of a Long walk Home it was a ions journey four years to be exact and Steve Newman and his Mother Mary Sui l help but cry As Newman returns Home to Bethel Ohio. The tearful Homecoming wednesday marked an and to Newman s walk a roid the world which took through 20 clip merits. See Story 28 fur details him Almeida Al. A naturalized . Citi ten born in Cuba told cuban Duiho relics he was an army Captain. He apparently was unhappy with the military s ruling thai his doctor of Medicine credentials earned in the dominican Republic did not qualify him fora commission. A Usa eur enlisted Soldier deserted to Czechoslovakia last october bul he later was handed Back to . Military officials and has since been court mar Lia cd. The last known american to defect to inc soviet Union was Arnold Lockshin a cancer specialist from Houston who was granted Asylum after claiming he had been hounded out of his Job because of his opposition to . Defense policies. Lockshin at his wife and three children arrived in the soviet Union ocl. 8. Senoye s 2nd vote beats veto Washington api the Senate overrode president Reagan s veto of an is billion Highway Bill thursday 67-33, As rebellious republicans rejected a last minute presidential plea fur support in a High Slakes showdown with congressional democrats. The tense Roll Call reversed wednes Day s Vole in which the Senate initially upheld the veto. It came after Reagan had spent nearly. I to hours in the Capitol in private meetings with or talc republicans urging them to sustain Bolh the veto and Willi in. His political prestige. But with its iwo thirds majority the Senate thus joined the House in enacting the Bill into Law Over Reagan s objections. "1 want to that we fought he goad fight Senate Republican Leader huh Dole said in a virtual Concession of Difrai before inc Roll Call began. White House spokesman Marlin Fiu Watt denied the defeat would be Damag ing to Reagan s ability to govern for the a Cal 21 Man this saving he thought the president would Benefit from having demonstrated his willingness to fight. Fil Zwak a quoted Reagan As reciting the verse of an old scottish Ballad As he Mei with republicans Hel Bra the see veto on Page 28 new . Ambassador starts Job in Moscow Moscow a . Ambassador Jack f. Matlock or. Arrived thursday to Lake up his Post and said he assumed embassy communications feared com promised in the Marine Kegu espionage Case will be secure by the time Secretary of stale George Shultz arrives. Mallock. 57, told reporters Al inc Airport he did not wish to comment on the and spy scandal hat mulled in the a Rcpt of three Marine corps Security guards and the recall of Llic is guards posted Here not. Set related stories Puges 3,5. Tic said his first priority is to prepare for Shutlz s visit on april a we assume we will have secure communications a Hon he s Here Matlock said. He added i m uni suing to com ment on any conduct at the embassy be fore i writ. Matlock replaces Arthur liar nun. Who left feb. 1 j after Fiu jars the inn Gem scr Iii . Ambassador to the soviet Union sigh world War ii. The new ambassador is considered Hill of Lite United suits Tup experts uti Sivik i languages cultures and history and most recently was re Idail Kcal Tan s special assistant fur soviet and Liu r he Wili run is a Higuet in m l it nil . Iii Liun in a in Xcvi j its i uni Init no atom. Tliret1 dinner Marine i cards lit l Lin i arrest in the t him j St Iii n two no ill in. Sol. Claunan see Moscow on Page 28
