European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - November 21, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                The stars and stripes saturday november 21,19s7 Pentagon merchants National Bank immediately reopen contract talks by William .1. Bartman Washington to Murrau Washington Pentagon finance officials have immediately resumed Dis i ussom Willi  National hunk re Garding new military banking contracts i Europe Hal the american express corp. Failed to retain following a formal protest. The switch from american express  Netherlands and Greece Slin uld Lake place around april i i9xs. Said John Barber of i he defense department s comply roller s office. When in chose merchants based i Indianapolis to replace american express Al 134 Hanking outlets in Llie three countries in August the Pentagon had planned for the change to Lake place feb.1. Bui Barber said the protest filed by american express with the general accounting office put everything on hold. 11 was More or less a Stop  american express had said last summer that if in lost its contracts in Germany in would simply pull out of military banking completely. But Burner said that s All been pretty much cleared up and talks will begin soon on continuation of american express banking services in other parts of Europe the Pacific and the Rusl of he world. Atop or Crinan express Bank official m new t o re confetti leu i i ugly Pyle ing Oul. We re going to have talks with defense officials. The official also said american express Appeal process of the european decision is officially Over. The protest entered around Ameri can express Contention that the Penta gon s decision was based in part on its record in retail banking in the United states and that american express Bank was not informed of this criterion which it considered unfair. American Lii press is a financial serv ices conglomerate that Only operates Banks overseas while merchants nation Al has a Large Domestic operation. The Gao said inc pro isl w As denied because the actions american express objected to did nol reoccur in a sept. 30 re evaluation of the two competing Banks. The Cao decision dated monday but not announced until wednesday called the ,.-_._.cited the military s main position thai american express scored lower than Mer chants in the evaluation process not be cause of its Lack of United states retail banking experience but on weaknesses in its ability As a wholesale Bank to remain current in the retail banking  furthermore Gao said defense officials stale that in the course of their Legal review of Llie contract decision following inc protest they ques lined the use of cer Tain factors in the original aug. 20 decision. It said these factors were unrelated id the allegedly undisclosed retail banking fac Tor. The evaluators were directed to re evaluate both Banks proposals for Bank ing services using the criteria that both competitors were initially aware of. Under thai second evaluation Gao said merchants again received a higher Lyial a care than american express at to sign the owner once  Iskiw " was reduced from 25 to 15  merchants spokeswoman Lisa Hon Erickson said she could not confirm the planned Start up dates mentioned by Barber. Merchants officials meanwhile were in Washington formalizing in icon  express has offered to help in assuring a smooth transition of banking services. U.s., Cuba reach agreement on immigration pact Washington a the United Stales and Cuba have reached an agreement under which up to 27,0 10 cubans will he allowed to emigrate to this country annually a Stair department official said Fri Day. In return Cuba has agreed to repatriate the More than 2.700 cubans who came to Lac United slates in 1980 aboard the Mariel boat lift but have been ineligible to remain because of mental illness or past Crimi Nal records the official said. The agreement was worked out a Eiwen . And cuban officials during an unannounced meeting this week in Mexico City. The Accord is similar to the one the two countries Nugoli Ald in december 1984, bul which was sus Pended by Cuba the following May in protest against radio Marti a voice of America broadcast operation to Cuba since the 19e4 agreement was suspended the two countries have not had Normal immigration tics Al though the United states has allowed hundreds Oblong term cuban political prisoners to immigrate. The Mexico City agreement was worked out by inc state department Deputy Legal adviser Michael Kozuk. And cuban vice foreign minister Ricardo Alarcon said the official who demanded anonymity. A formal announcement was expected later in the Day. The two countries attempted to revive the 1984 immigration agreement in july 1986, but the talks broke Down in a dispute Over radio broadcast rights. At the time the . Side Rojc tied u Culi Jii proposal for several Clear Channel broadcast frequencies in the United status claiming Hal it would have interfered with Over 100 . Radio stations. High flying gift App Halo Frank be Clunan Righta member of Lufthansa s executive Board hands Over control of a junkers Jit-52 aircraft to Dean Anderson undersecretary of the smithsonian institution. The donation ceremony with the Transfer of the control wheel took place Al Dulles International Airport in chantly a. Iran stalls on . Woman s visit to jailed brother Columbia. . A a woman who flew to Tehran. Iran Al inc invitation of iranian officials was turned away from a prison when she tried to visit her imprisoned brother the woman s Mother said. Ellen 1 iritis of Aikin. ., was turned away thursday and was Lold to return to inc Evin prison on sunday Catherine Patlis to a the slate newspaper in co Lumbia. Jon Pattis a telecommunications Engi Neer was arrested june 16, 1986, after an iraqi bombing raid on an iranian satellite facility. He was convicted on seven charges relating to espionage and using a forged passport to enter the country Pat i said in an appearance on iranian Tele vision in december that he had been furnishing information to the Cia he is serving a 10-year sentence. Ellen Patlis and a travelling compan Ion left monday for Tehran at the in Vita lion of iranian officials. Mrs. Patlis said the iwo women were late in getting to Iran because Lufthansa airlines cancelled their flight from Frankfurt. West Ger Many to Tehran. Traffic offender shows overriding dissatisfaction broomf1ei.d. Colo. A when officer Mike Clement slopped a pickup truck with overs fed tires for running a Stop sign he was unprepared in Hal happened Nam. The truck s Driver Ronald a. To 14, backed in Over Clement s patrol car and drove away cd Mcm tried to Chase Posey in his damaged Cruiser bul had to give up and summon officers by radio. Posy was arrested after a two mile Chase that ended when he crashed his truck in a Fidd. Basically he just ran Over my  Clemens said of thursday s incident. He went Light Over the Hood through the Windshield and Slid Oil inc  Clement said he had gotten out of his car and was walking toward the truck when Posey put his vehicle in reverse. I did t even get close enough to talk to him Clem ent said. Pc i y s truck with i1- .1 feel of ground clearance was on lop of inc Cruiser and sliding off when Clement Drew Lii. Pistol and ordered him to free a. Instead he sped off the officer said. Clement attempted to Chase Posey but had to give up when chunks of his Windshield Hegan lying in his face. He was not injured