European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - December 11, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 28 the stars and stripes sunday december 11,1986 shul a says improved soviet ties indicate Gold War Comina to end writer Brussels Belgium improving relations with the soviet Union signal the approaching end of the cold War Secretary of stale George Shutlz said in his last appearance before nato. "1 do like the notion that the cold War is dead and i Hope it s so Shultz said Friday at the close of a two Day meeting of Alliance foreign ministers. There Are Stilt tensions there Are still varieties of interest there arc still these big Force structures. The Berlin Wall is still Bui recent soviet efforts could Lead to a Resolution of Many problems he said. A Sis Page report released by the ministers after their meeting Friday noted soviet president Mikhail Gorbachev s announcement to Cut unilaterally troops and arms. The move represents the starting Point of a new approach by the soviet Union to the size and Struc Ture of i hair military forces and pro Grams which Boih in the nuclear and conventional Fields still exceed any reasonable defense need the report said. The ministers thursday released their own proposal calling for substantial reductions in conventional offensive arms by nato and the Warsaw pact saying it should form the outline of the Alliance position at new arms talks in Vienna Austria Early next year. However Friday s report said the so Viets nce to further reduce their conventional of corns superiority in Europe and the in cat Al poses to Europe s Secu want a situation in Europe in which Force postures As Well As numbers and deployments of wagons systems no longer make a Surprise quack and a Large scale offensive action feasible option an option which we have never possessed or a Gorbachev in a speech to the a acted nations on wednesday said the potty cd Union would Cut its military forces by � half million troops by 1991. A total of a. 10,000 tanks 8,500 artillery systems and 800 combat aircraft also would be Moth balled the soviet Leader said. Shutlz cited figures showing that eve after the cuts the Warsaw pact would keep a belter than 2-to advantage in tanks a 1.74-to advantage in artillery and a 3-to Edge in combat aircraft. Shutlz said of the soviet cuts they Wilt be significant they la make a difference but they leave the situation stil very -., nato Secretary general Manfred Worner said the soviets now Bibuld re move the last obstacles to attic Field of human rights and move As. Fust As Possi ble to the negotiating table guidelines for Lartin new conventional arms talks in a Letita Are still being worked out. Asfa is a mandate for conventional talks if is not totally nailed Down but we re pretty close to it Shultz said. The negotiations called the conventional stability talks would involve the 23 member of the two alliances in Europe and a buld be a follow up to the stalled conventional arms talks in Vien and Shutlz expressed Hope that Tilte new arms control initiatives worm not weaken Alliance resolve to maintain a Strong defense. Pfc response to questions from report Era wac Fhaid modernization of the Succar needed regardless of the outcome arms 1 t Aires at sin of convention lairs they re very Welcome proposals y i do not link them together he said. Of course Security has to be seen As a whole. But we still need a minimum of nuclear the report Aims to reach a consensus among the 16-nation North Atlantic Alli Ance for future nuclear and conventional arms requirements in Europe As Well As agreement on arms control issues. The ministers also agreed Friday to Complete work on a comprehensive concept on Security and arms control mat. Lers in time for their next meeting in the Spring Wymer said. And they endorsed a conference in Paris on chemical weapons for Early next year that will seek a worldwide ban. On East West Trade the ministers re leased a statement thai said such Trade should be conducted on solid commence grounds and to the Mutual advantage of the countries involved. Preferential treatment of the soviet Union should be avoided As Well As Trade that would strengthen the soviet military. Finally the ministers bid Farewell and paid tribute id Shultz for his contributions to the Alliance Worner said. We Are grateful and we will miss news briefs Cloud technical glitch halt British satellite launch Kourou French Guiana a bad weather and technical glitches forced a delay of at least 24 hours in the launch of an ariane 4 rocket carrying satellites for direct television broadcasts and a Tish military signals. The countdown at the space Center on the Atlantic coast America was halted just six minutes before the planned liftoff at 9 01 . To let a threatening storm Cloud pass by. It was re Sumid 20 minutes later Only to be stopped Paulomi Mically when there was a failure in the computerized link Wilh the tracking Sla lion on Island in the Atlantic Ocean Arian space president Frederic d Allenl said. Israeli copters Rescue or soldiers on Arab raid Jerusalem a israeli helicopters Fri Day plucked four trapped soldiers from a pitched Battle with inf syrian palestinian guerrillas after a raid in which an israeli officer was killed and three soldiers Erc wounded army officials said. At least 2
