European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - April 19, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page s the stars and stripes tuesday. April 19,1988 Canadian party drops plan to leave nato Toronto not Canada s new democratic parly the leftist group that Hai. Pc cd a Strung Challenge to the Een tit Onsen alive Ami Liberal parties in Public opinion polls during the past year has indefinitely shelved its plan 1o pull Canada out of nato if it should win Power. The decision made in inc fact of opinion push showing that More than 70 percent of canadians favor remaining a partner in the Western Alliance was announced by he new democrats Leader. Edward Road bunt. At a meeting of the new democrats governing Council in Ottawa on saturday. Bui the party Reaf firmed its pan if elected to withdraw Canada s 7. Ajo Mcm bar military Contin gent from West Germany. The policy if put into effect would place Canada in a position similar to that of France which withdrew Iti forces from the nato military command in l%6 but remained a political partner in the Alfunce. As 3 corollary to the proposal to withdraw the troops from Europe inc new democrats endorsed a policy committing them to a 116 billion Mili tary spending program. With the new democrats facing he possibility of a close race with inc two either parties in a general election thai could be held As Early As september. Pro Adbel had worked intensively be Hind the scene to persuade More Mili Tant members of the party to agree to in casing of the commitment to withdraw from nato which the party first made in we. Bui Braadbent faced Strong opposition from hard liners in the party some of whom reacted to the Council s Deci Sion in Olla a by accusing the party Leader of abandoning principles. The new nato policy has a qualification a government formed by the party would Only undertake not to withdraw from Hie Alliance during its first term in office generally four to five years under the parliamentary system. Prime minister Brian Mulrany. The conservatives Leader has made it Clear that he intends to malic a major Issue of the new Democrat nato polio1 Dur ing 1he election presenting it As an Emblem of what Mylor icy has described As the parly s anti american attitudes. The new Democrat have also under taken to scrap the free Trade agreement that was reached by the United Stales and Canada last year and to renegotiate the agreement governing the North american aerospace defense coins. Under which inc iwo share responsibilities for Aerial defense of the continent. The new democrats policy shift on nato came in the face of opinion polls thai Hare showed them slipping from the leading partition that they occupied for several months last year. The latest Cal tip poll issued last week showed the liberals leading with lit percent of the decided voters trailed by the constr i Livo with 31 percent and the new democrats with to percent. Mulroney could defer a ctr Terral elec Tion until september 1989. But with the conservatives standing in the poll showing improvement since the free Trade Deal was signed up from a Low of 23 percent last year he has hinted recently that he could Call a vote in the fall. Political analysts Here have been predicting that the election will produce a split result Willi none of the parties gaining � majority. In that event the new Democrat even if they did nol Lake part in the government could be in a position to have a major influence of government policy. World today 20% of Vietnam Rice crop reported growing poorly Bangkok Thailand i l drought in sects and Plant disease Are threatening More than 20 percent of Northern Vietnam s Spring Rice crop an official report said. Lood shortages and slumping per capita Grain production arc seen As a major threat to the credibility of Vietnam s new leadership As it at templs to revamp Pic country s cumbersome so Viel slyly economic machinery. The standing committee of the Energy. Walcer conservancy and agriculture and food i Lumry ministries in a meeting held april ii reported that 20 percent of the Spring Rice crop As m pair condition. Feik Tilley speaking this year s Rice plants have i be Lowd poorly due to Lack of sunlight during the first Chr months of l 88," said a radio a Liinus report on the meeting. Locust fighters Given Ramadan dispensation , Morocco a King Hassan ii sitting in his role As religious Leader of Morocco issued a dispensation from the annual Ramadan fast to All people involved in the fight against tie swarms of locusts invading North Africa. Several years ago. The King also exempted i Lidert Neh Linig against Polinario guerrillas in the former Spanish Sahara from the daytime lasting obligations of Ramadan the moslem holy month. In announcing his decision the King stressed that those fighting against the locusts arc acting in the same Way As the soldiers stationed on our Borders who Are watching Over the Security and Ink rests of inc  rebels in Peru bomb institutes linked to . Lima Peru a left Wing rebels bombed iwo language institutes link a to the . Embassy shattering windows and rip Ping up Metal shutters but causing no injuries police said sunday. Police blamed a marxist group the tupac Amaru revolutionary movement for the bomb Ings late saturday. A bomb made up of 4.5 pounds of dynamite exploded about 10 to . Outside the sin Story Headquarters of the .-peruvian cum Institute in downtown Lima police said. Simul Lani duly rebels set off two Small explosions at a Branch of the Institute in the Seaside Miraflores District. Both institutes offer English language courses and Are linked to he . Embassy although they Are financially Independent. The statue Fly Man stood unit scaffolding and justic now Only the Haw and some nibble remain be no University tears Down statue of Mao erected in 67 Heduino a workmen at Beijing University have demolished a four Story statue of Mao tse lung lire tarnished and increasingly ignored founder if communist China. The Slatic of Mao in front of the main Library was one of the largest in the nation. It stood at China s most prestigious College As a Symbol of the 1966-76 cultural revolution started with Mao s backing by leftist students. Workers were seen preparing the Concrete statue under Bright lights late saturday night. It had been covered by scaffolding and plastic sheeting for More than a week a . Student said. Early sunday morning the Mammoth Mao was sawed off at the feet and came toppling Down leaving a Large Dent on the pavement the student said. A smaller statue just inside the West Gale of the Campus also was destroyed leaving Only the Pedestal and some rubble. I Yarison. An official of the University s foreign affairs office said monday the Slatic was removed because it had deteriorated badly since students and teachers built it in 1961 at the Heigh of the cultural revolution. Artists had been invited to design a smaller statue to be placed inside the University Library he said. I did not say when the new statue would be built or what would Lake the place of the old statue. One professor said workers Lold hint the Pedestal in front of inc Library would be turned into a Flower stand. Practice bomb hits Aquino property san Fernando Philippines a a practice bomb fell from a military Jet onto a Plantation owned by president Cora on Aquino s family but caused no dam age or injuries the philippine constabulary Aid monday. A constabulary report said the device As Acci dentally dropped thursday by a . Air Force Jet from nearby Clark a. But base spokesman maj. Thomas Boyd said there were no air Forte jets in the country at the time. There were no injuries or damage a constabulary report said. According to the Repon the device fell from one of in arc jews Fiat was flying Low Over Hacienda Luisita during a raining i Crisc. Constabulary officials quoted residents u saying the device made a loud explosion and i Peund while smoke