European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - January 26, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 8 the stars and stripes thursday january 26,1989 world today record number of vehicles turned out by japanese Tokyo a japanese automakers built record 12.7 million cars trucks and buses in 1988, up 3.7 percent from the previous year the Japan automobile manufacturers association announced wednesday. The previous record 12.3 million vehicles was set in 1985. Exports fell to 6.1 million vehicles down200,000 from 1987, but Domestic sales shot up 11 percent to 6.7 million As a result of Japan steady economic growth and a willingness by its Consumers to spend More the association said. Total passenger car production increased 3.9percent last year to a record 8.2 million while 4.4 million trucks up 3.2 percent and 57,000buses, up 14.9 percent were built it added. Domestic passenger sales climbed 13.5 per cent to a record 3.7 million while truck sales Rose 9.5 percent to a record 3 million it said. Zimbabwe Calls off flight of rare rhinos to . Zoo Harare Zimbabwe a wildlife authorities tuesday cancelled a plan to Fly 10 rhinoceroses to the United states. The rare Black rhinos were scheduled to be flown to the fort Worth Texas zoo on sunday. But mechanical problems delayed the cargo plane and Zimbabwe officials called off the operation a wildlife department spokesman said. The spokesman said that the animals were weak and that travel would be risky. No replace ment aircraft was available tuesday. The rhinos were in crates for five Days an were being released under veterinary supervision the spokesman added. The Zimbabwe news Agency said the . Zoo will be asked to renegotiate the acquisition of rhinos for a captive Breeding program launched two years ago. Vietnam to build 346 ships for soviets Over 4 years Bangkok Thailand up the soviet Union is to Supply Vietnam with the materials equipment and technology Worth $60 million to build 346 ships for the soviets from 1991 to 1995, the official Vietnam news Agency said. The soviet Union also is to Supply Vietnam with two dredgers 10 cargo ships and two float ing docks the Agency said in a report receive wednesday. Under the agreement Vietnam will also re pair soviet ships. Delegates from the soviet ministry of ship building and Vietnam s ministry of communications and transport met in Hanoi from Jan.18 to 21 to coordinate plans for implementing the agreement signed in january 1988, the Agency said. Laser beams and a fireworks display Over Paris place de la concorde Mark the revolution s anniversary. France kicks off 200th birthday of revolution with fireworks show Paris a the capital launched its Celebration of the Bicentennial of the French revolution tuesday night with fireworks trumpets and balloons at the place de la concorde where King Louis Xvi lost his head to the Guillotine. For the occasion the Large statues of eight women representing eight major provincial cities and placed around the huge Square were unveiled. The statue were restored Over the past year to repair effects of pollution made worse by the daily packs of Auto mobiles that Jam the place de la concorde. As the horns sounded and floodlights blazed a brie Cascade of fireworks lighted the sky Over Central Paris. The Date chosen to kick off the City s Bicentennial celebrations Paris marked the 200th anniversary of Louis Xvi s decision to summon the estates general representatives of the three estates Nobles clergy and commoners whose meeting in Versailles set the Revo Lution in motion. The King was beheaded Jan. 21, 1793, in the 21-Acresquare on the right Bank of the Seine Between the Tuil eries gardens and the champs Elysee. It was firs called place Louis Xiv renamed place de la revolution in 1792, then place Louis Xiv when the Monarch was restored. It finally was Given its current name in 1830 m homage to National reconciliation. The eight statues around the place de la concorde installed Between 1836 and 1840, represent the cities of Nantes Brest Rouen Bordeaux Marseille Lille Lyon and Strasbourg. Celebrations of the Bicentennial year elsewhere i France started As Early As Jan. 1, with the launching of colourful hot air balloons from various Sites. The celebrations Are to culminate july 14, the National Holiday and the anniversary of the storming of the Bastille pris9n. Other projects include concerts festivals expositions and on the first Day of Spring planting of Trees of Liberty around the country. Pardon proposed for 2 sex nazi War criminals the Hague Netherlands a the government on tuesday proposed pardoning the two longest held nazi War criminals in the West. A world War ii resistance group and others criticized the idea. The Case of the two aging German nationals convicted for their roles in de porting thousands of dutch jews to nazi death Camps has been the focus of a bitter Public debate Here Ever since the government first proposed releasing them in 1972. The 43-year-Long detention of Franz Fischer 87, and Ferdinand aus Der fun ten 79, also illustrates the sensitivities still surrounding this nation s suffer ing under the 1940-1945 nazi German occupation. The government argues that because five other War criminals who originally faced death sentences have been pardoned and released continued detention of the two men would violate the Prin Ciple of Equality before the Law. Dutch Justice minister Frits Kortha Saltes who made the proposal in a letter to parliament said the move follows plea for clemency by a group of 19 prominent victims of nazi persecution and series of secret talks that began last sum Mer Between that group and the govern ment. The proposal which must be approved by the 150-seat parliament is expected to come under heavy fire. In the letter Korthals Altes said there Are still victims of persecution and participants in the former Resis Tance who. Will be deeply agitated if the two men Are released. Bill Minco spokesman for the join resistance foundation which opposes the pardons told a news conference it s not they who Are serving a life sen tence it s the victims of the nazis who Are serving a life term. Their wounds will remain open  a Public opinion poll in 1987 showed two thirds of the dutch population opposed releasing the two War criminals. But Theo Van Lier one of the 19 peo ple who signed the plea for release of the two men said since we spent the War fighting for the Rule of Law. We should now abide by it  since the 1987 death of Hitler s for Mer Deputy Rudolf Hess in Berlin s Spandau prison Fischer and aus Derf Unten Are the Only War criminals known left in detention since world War ii. Former resistance fighters concent a nnnu1?"13168, and Manv of the6,000 dutch jews who survived the holocaust have repeatedly argued against re leasing the two men whose death sentences have been commuted to life imprisonment. Known As the Breda two for the Southern dutch City where they Are being held Fischer and aus Der fun ten were arrested by Allied troops in 1945 an sentenced in 1950. Thanks to the Quality of dutch jails they Are still in excellent health said Minco. Last summer a team of prison doctor concluded the Breda two s physical and mental condition was Good enough to warrant continued detention. Aus Der fun ten a former Captain inthe nazi s elite is police personally oversaw the deportation of dutch jews rom Amsterdam Rotterdam and the Hague As Well As the Weste Bork concentration Camp in the northeastern nether lands. Fischer headed the jewish Section of the local Branch of the nazi Security service in the Hague