European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 30, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Michael Jordan avenging Angel in White shorts sports Page 25 the authorized unofficial publication for the . Armed forc Eshk d.,.ms, 8693 a Good Mornin vol. 48, no. 43 tuesday May 30. 1989 Bush Calls for 20% troop Cut by ., slashes by soviets by David Tarrant staff writer Brussels. Belgium president Bush on monday proposed a 20 percent Cut in . Combat troops in Europe under an accelerated conventional arms agreement that would set american and soviet troop ceilings in the Region at 275,000. Grabbing the initiative in East West relations Bush detailed the proposal at the opening of the nato Summit which had Bee expected to focus on an Alliance clash Over Battlefield nuclear mis Siles. The four Point plan. In lie formally presented in i he ongoing convention alarms talks in Vienna. Austria also called for the Warsaw Tail to accept standing proposals for reductions of tanks a Mored troop carriers and artillery pieces. In addition. Hush presented a new proposal for reducing land based combat air Craft and assault helicopters in Europe. If the soviet Union accepts this fair offer the results would dramatically in crease stability on the continent and transform the military map of Europe Bush said in a news conference following the Summit s first session. Saying the Alliance faced a historic Opportunity to move beyond containment with the soviets hush said we can and must begin now to set out a new vision for Europe ill the end of this Century. This is a Noble Mission that i believe the Alliance should he ready to undertake and i have no doubts thai we Are up Lolic  s proposal largely overshadowed the contentious Issue of Battlefield nuclear weapons although the president  he would consider opening up Short Range nuclear missile talks after a conventional arms agreement was reached and some implementation began. Hush said the allies agreed to put to Gether a working group to try to work out some Resolution of the dispute. West Germany wants immediate negotiations on reducing the number of missis while the United states and England want to upgrade the Range of the Wear  proposal in terms of conventional forces should give those who be had difficulty with our position on Short Range weapons a Chance to re group and rethink and give them a Little continued on Page 28 plan targets 30,000 is primarily in combat units Brussels Belgium president hush s proposal to reduce . And soviet forces in Europe would result in a reduction of 30,000 . Troops according to senior . Officials. Most of the 30,000 .  affected would be combat air and ground units according to the officials who spoken the condition of anonymity excluding naval manpower the United states has about 305.000 air and ground troops in Europe the said. About half that number or 150,000. Are considered combat units with the other half made up of support units such As transportation intelligence and infrastructure. Therefore the proposed reduction of 30,000. According to the officials rep resents 20 percent of combat units but 10 percent of total . Strength in Europe. The cuts one official said would t come out As whole divisions one possibility might be to Lake a brigade each out of several divisions for exam  Range from about 2,000 to 3.000 troops. The manpower cuts proposed by hush would affect Only the United states and the soviet Union. Under the plan the soviets would have to reduce their forces see plan on Back Page with his great initiative for rapidly reducing conventional arms president Bush has today paved the Way for further Success of our  Chancellor Helmut Kohl sealed at a conference table during the opening ceremony monday of the annual nato Summit arc front to Back president Bush Secretary of slate James a. Baker Iii British i rime minister  and Britain s foreign minister sir Geoffrey Llime