European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - December 12, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Monday december 12, 1988 the stars and stripes Page 3 Reagan s role in soviet Reform discounted Washington a president Reagan by seeking accommodation with America s principal world adversary encouraged but did not bring Aboul Mikhail s. Gorbachev s Reform in the soviet Union according to scholars and analysis. It was the Basket Case soviet Economy rather than a change in Reagan s Mislin tingly harsh rhetoric after his first term thai impelled the changes brought about by Gorbachev since Eany 198s, these experts said. Reagan talked very Lough Aboul the soviet Union from 1981 through 1984, at least in pan to build on his perceived election mandate to rebuild America s defences. Several scholars and analysis said i interviews however thai Reagan should now be applauded for recognizing the Opportunity afforded by Gorbachev s policies Reagan they said moved quickly Tore establish the kind of working  Viet relationship that Hud been virtually scrapped after the red army s invasion for the most part . Actions have been More or less incidental to changes in the soviet Union. Professor Neil Mcfarlane of Afghanistan in 1979. For his part Reagan said last wee that he was t trying to Lake credit for Gorbachev s reforms. "1 cannot tonight attempt to put Al these events in perspective or still less to claim credit for any person or administration the president Lold reporters thursday at perhaps his final news con  Reagan in his weekly radio address on saturday took some credit for the changed .-sovict relationship saying our steadfastness our policies our whole approach has borne  the president pointed to his administration s adherence to democratic values its criticism of human rights violations in the soviet Union and its military buildup for helping bring about the changes. Reagan met with a soviet Leader forthe first time when he and Gorbachev sat Down in Geneva in november 1985. After that they held four More meet Ings including the turbulent talks in Reykjavik Iceland in october 1986,along with summits in Washington mos cow and wednesday s luncheon Summit in new York. I think the major accomplishment of Ronald Reagan is not so much having affected soviet policy in significant ways but basically thai he in his person has made arms control and negotiating with the soviets legitimate again especially with regard to the conservative right said net Mcfarlane an associate professor in the government and foreign affairs department at the University of Virginia in Charlott Covilie. Mcfarlane said that Gorbachev moves were to some extent sparred by . Policies particularly american assistance to afghan rebels but for the most part . Actions have been More or less incidental to changes in the soviet  Dol in a professor at Stan Ford University Center for russian an East european studies in California said As 1 Sec it the reasons Why Gorba Chev came to Power and followed � re form program at Home end abroad had nothing to do with Ronald Reagan. If another Leonid Brezhnev had come to Power instead of a Gorbachev things would have been very different and the Reagan administration would have had nothing to take credit for he said. Panel on deficit cancels meeting offer Edge orders open sessions by the Washington pos Washington the National economic com Mission set up by Congress to find ways to reduce the Federal budget deficit has cancelled its monday meet ing after a Federal judge ruled that it must be open Lothe Public. In a temporary restraining order . District court judge Joyce hens Green said the commission s insistence on shielding the debate As to budget option from Public scrutiny directly contravenes the Law. As if chops the Core of our democratic society that Core was an open robust unvarnished Public debate illuminating pressing issues concerns and poli cies that affect inc. Lives of All citizens she wrote. Fear flourishes when the process is shrouded in cloak of secrecy and the swiftest transport to speculation is  the meeting monday was originally scheduled for the commission to receive senior budget officials assessments on interest Rales unemployment inflation and economic growth. The bipartisan group was also scheduled to consider various budget options for Cut Ling the deficit. The meeting is cancelled commission spokesman Jim Hildreth said Friday after learning of Green s decision. Where we go from Here we simply Don t  Hildreth could not say whether the commis Sion would Appeal the order. The commission bad argued that its sessions should he exempted from the open meeting provisions of the Sunshine act under a clause allowing meetings to be closed if they arc Likely to significantly frustrate implementation of a proposed Agency action.1 the lawsuit challenging the closed sessions was brought by the Bureau of National affairs inc., a group of financial newsletters the Washington Post the Wall Street journal and Stephen wilds rom an editor for business week. Public citizen a group founded by Ralph Nader also joined the Case and argued for the news organizations. The commission was Sot up by Congress last year to report to the president and Congress by March i9b9 on ways to decrease the Federal budget deficit while promoting economic growth. Its chairmen arc former Secretary of transportation Drew Lewis and Robert Strauss a prominent Democrat lawyer and former . Trade negotiator. Members include .  Domenici r-n.m., and Daniel p. Moynihan d . Chrysler chairman Lee a. Lae Ocea Al Cio president Lane Kirk and new York investment banker pc Iii Rosalyn and former Secretary of defens Caspar Weinberger. Members of . Owe $979 million United nations a the United my Bob peacekeeping Force ibo received to nod Pete my of saturday could Hind Ike Pattou or Tho world i Bill for err Lei rendered to Tuot nearly . Ult.  139 member Mitau of Etc world Boydjr $979.1 Usu com fun paid regular Don and peacekeeping Ceu anti with the United Sltes being Ibe chief Dubeil. When us. Secret mar Choc Rel Jerter Perez it Nehu accepted the Nobel prize Ward Money of $416,000 fat Otto Norway at Belutty of the nor Ethin half million peacekeeper who Tun remt the Uii Ltd nation be a la we wit i � Trahar Raulis because it forces me to say Budy tint the United state Ifill owes the United a Lions almost $350 million a \ a i�7fe a , members owe tie world body  met Iuka Ingol wrote $360.1 million in am for the Lebanon Middle East us Iru Inai Arcco us $168s million  the by Ponto Nethe a finn Force fam pawed to by financed through voluntary  lie United a Toni uses to Recto birr the Partid Pating Nat a Astralla Audru Britain ohm Denmark Finland Ireland us Sweden. Stennis hailed As 41 year Senate career ends Washington a at a Farewell tribute to his 41-year Senate career John Stennis heard himself praised As a giant of political life and a lower of dedication and integrity. Bul Stennis said the 250 Mississippi ans gathered in the Senate caucus room to pay him homage at the end of his political career had come not just to Honor John Stennis but to Honor a great system of government 200 years of it.",-. Stennis 87, who is the Senate presi Dent pro Tern has been third in line forthe presidency behind the vice president and the House speaker for the last two years. He told the friends who gathered with him Friday night "1 want to thank those who made impossible for me to withstand the storms of political life he said of the american people Weare determined we have the potential we have the Opportunity and we Havethe Abi by to make this system a Success. I m positive we can make a go of it Inthis very difficult system of self govern ment. Stennis is returning to do Kaib miss.,his  members said he is Likely to de sen. John Stennis grateful to those who helped him withstand the storms of political life vote the rest of his life to trying to per Suade Young people to enter Public serv ice. At the Farewell gathering the Well wishers who waited to shake Stennis hand stood in a line that stretched out the caucus room door into the hallway. They were eager 10 shake his hand Pat him on the Back and in some cases offer a hug. "1 feel wonderfully Well the senator told those who asked. This is a stimulus to me. I did t know there would be so Many people there were Many to offer Praise and three members of the Mississippi congressional delegation did it officially. Rep. Jamie Westlen d-miss., chair Man of the House appropriations com Mittee said John Stennis has serve longer and belter ban any Man in the history of this country rep. Sonny Montgomery d-miss.,said, there s never been a blemish on his record and thai is very unusual i Washington  sen. Thad Cochran r-miss., said senator Stinnis made a difference in the course of history. We Are thanking John Stennis for a remarkable career thai has reflected great credit on our state honour country and on the United states Senate.  Farewell was sponsored by the Mississippi state society consisting of mississippians who work and live in the Washington area., Bill Simpson a Veteran lobbyist in Washington Tor Mississippi  and told the audience you and i know that the sound of inc Slenn Strumpet Rose above the tumult True and Clear and  ended the evening by Reading a letter he said he had received after his first election to the Senate in 1947. Stennis had been a Mississippi judge before that election and the letter was from a county Constable who had sup ported him. It read i m sorry you did not gel Altof the votes in my Home county. You did gel them All except for a few old sore reads and some nutty  can you sum up an expression of Loy Alty any better than that to said