European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - January 4, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 8 the stars and stripes wednesday january 4,1989 Poland to Cut Back troop Levels Warsaw Poland up prompted by the favourable political Cli mate in Europe and economic considerations Poland will reduce its armed forces and Cut Back military spending defense minister Florian Siwicki said Inan interview published tuesday. The decision on cutting Back the400,000-Strong military Force the larg est in the East bloc after the soviet Union was taken on nov. 21 by the committee of the defense of the coun try Siwicki told the official news Agency Pap. The committee is chaired by polish Leader Gen. Wojciech Jaruzelski who is commander in chief of the polish armed forces. Poland is the first country to announce cutbacks since soviet Leader Mikhail Gorbachev announced on dec.7, in a . Speech in new York that the soviet Union would Cut its 2-million-Strong armed forces by 500,000 troops within the next two years. Siwicki did not say How Many troop would be eliminated. He said authorities will decrease the number of army Mili tary units Combine or eliminate certain other military institutions and combines me military academies and officers colleges. He said the number of military unit with professional staffs will increase but their numerical strength will be smaller. The polish army is estimated at230,000 men by the respected International Institute for strategic studies i London. Some 168,000 Are conscripts. The Basic goal Are transformations i which the army will be numerically smaller but showing High Quality mobility and ability to meet the demands of National Security Siwicki said. Poland actually began troop cuts two years ago Siwicki said. It has phased out two mechanized divisions and several military units including artillery aviation and other kinds of army a total phaseout of 15,000 soldiers As Well As obsolete planes tanks and guns. He said the decision was made be cause of the More favourable political Cli mate in Europe the defensive charac Ter of polish military doctrine and the desire to rechannel More goods toward the civilian Economy. Military spending will decrease from3.8 percent of the National income in 1988 to 3.6 percent in 1989, he said. Draft military budget for 1989 awaiting approval by parliament Calls for spend ing 954 billion Loties $1.9 billion which is roughly equivalent to the state subsidies for Dairy products. Western economic and military experts believe a substantial amount of military spending in East bloc economies is hidden in the civilian sector. Asked what will happen if nato armies do not follow the Warsaw pact example he said it would be a huge blotto the cause of International  Siwicki said that despite the better inter National climate Poland s Western Border is still disputed and that is Why it must have inadequate military potential. We Are the Only country in Europe whose Western Borders Are still questioned. It constitutes a Challenge which because of its negative influence on the stability of the european situation is source of indirect  Siwicki did not say who was question ing the Border but the polish press periodically attacks Revan Chism a codeword for perceived threats by nationalists in West Germany to reclaim German territory ceded to Poland after the War. Halloween Swiss style a strange Folk appear to be on the Loose in Interlaken part in a traditional festival in the resort area. The Cus Switzerland but the wooden masked pair Are just taking torn signifies the banishment of evil demons from  today Tanker truck explodes in Spain killing Driver puerto real Spain a a Tanker truck setup to carry liquid oxygen exploded tuesday on a National Highway near this Southern City instantly killing the Driver and slightly damaging a nearby bus police said. There were no other injuries police said. The truck burst into flames shortly before 10  National Highway 443, minutes after the Driver had unloaded his tank at the Astilleros Spanoles shipyard Here police said. Firefighters quickly extinguished the flames police said. Police said the flames enveloped the truck cab killing the Driver Jose Antonio Rey Gomez 42, of Cadiz who was on his Way to reload the Tanker truck with liquid oxygen at a factory in nearby san Roque. The cause of the explosion was not immediately known police said. Sweden Poland resolve dispute Over Border Stockholm Sweden a Sweden and Poland have reached agreement on the Border dividing their territorial Waters in the Baltic the foreign ministry said tuesday. The agreement will be signed shortly when swedish foreign minister Sten Andersson visits Warsaw the Sven ska Dag bladet daily said. Sweden will get 75 percent of the disputed area which was under negotiation for 10 years the ministry said in a statement. The area of 200 Square Miles i Southeast of the swedish Island of Gotland. Last january Sweden and the soviet Union resolved similar dispute Over 5,400 Square Miles. Talks with Poland began immediately afterwards. Neo nazis using computer games to lure youths a a tvs \l/�.4 / a to to _ Bonn West Germany a Neo nazi computer buffs Are making increased use of computer games to spread their Mili Tant propaganda among West German youth government officials said monday. More and More right Wing extremist computer games and programs Are sur facing in West German Homes said report by the Federal office for Monitor ing youth endangering Media. Monika Blomer a spokeswoman atthe Bonn office said several Neo nazi c9mputer games have been discovered in a number of areas of the Federal re  the games Are often discovered by teachers and parents she told the associated press. According to the office s report West German Neo nazis have recognized computer technology As a new Means of spreading their  the Neo nazis take a Normal computer Diskette and program one of their games onto it the report said. The diskettes then Are traded among youths the office said. Some of the programs celebrate War and racism. And even use nazi sym Bols the report said. The games have names like the nazi clean Germany and anti Turk test said the Bonn office. Racist Neo nazis have in the past attacked turks and other foreigners living in West Germany. The report suggested that youth caught up in computer games Are susceptible targets to Neo nazi propaganda. Most of the pure computer players Are youths with very Low self esteem who Are Able to at least experience a bit of confirmation by winning in computer games the report said. It also said right Wing radicals remaking increased use of electronic mailboxes for propaganda. Subscribers to electronic mailboxes Are Able to Send messages to each other by dealing Telephone number through a Home com Puter. The office did not say what the messages have contained. Blomer said she did not know whether those who have been making the Offen Sive computer programs have been unmasked. If caught they could face charges of violating West German Law Banning nazi propaganda. Government officials say there Are about 20,000 right Wing radicals in West Germany most of them Young and Many of them unable to find work. The Federal office for monitoring youth endanger ing Media compiles files on books another Media deemed harmful to Young sters and has the Power to ban them. Italy orders new tax on plastic shopping bags Rome up the government or dered a 100-lire 7-cent tax monday on plastic shopping bags which will be banned entirely in 1991. Under a decree signed by finance minister Emilio Colombo and minister of the environment Giorgio Ruffolo manufacturers will be required to Start paying the tax feb. 1.the Only exceptions will be biodegradable sacks and those not used for carry ing purchases