European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 29, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                The doonesbury letters Poges 10-11 authorized unofficial publication Foh the . Armed forces vol.48,no.256 Friday december29. 1989 Gudd to Rhino d 8693 a Vatican holds Noriega s Fate . Officials say Corpus Christi Texas a the White House said thursday that the Fate of ousted panamanian Leader Man Uel Antonio Noriega is in the hands of the  however a spokesman for president Bush said . Troops sur rounding the Vatican embassy arc pre pared to move in if hostages arc taken. Press Secretary Marlin Fitzwater said that the . Position on Noriega who is hiding in the Panama City Nuncia Ture with several supporters remains the same we believe that he is As an indicted person a criminal and not a Polit ical refugee in the Normal sense or some one who seeks political  however Fitzwater said negotiations on Noriega remain delicate. See related Story Page 28. We continue to make our views known the Vatican continues to consider this matter and we leave it to them to work his out As they Sec fit he said. Fitzwater briefed reporters in Corpus Christ As Bush enjoyed a Hunting Vaca Tion on an isolated ranch near the South Texas Community of by evilly. Asked about a rcp9rtcd letter from the papal representative in Panama City say ing . Troops could go Inlo the embassy if a hostage situation arose Fitzwater said we have no indication there is Trou ble within the Nuncia Ture. There arc no hostages that we re aware  but he added certainly would thereby any danger there we would be pre pared to offer  Noriega has been in the Vatican embassy since Christmas eve. Fitzwater said that although some Noriega loyalists who had been in the embassy with Noriega have been re leased to . Authorities most of his cronies arc still  Fitzwater added the situation is Good and steadily improving in Panama with the .-backed government of Guillermo Endara continuing to expand its  although Bush has voiced continue determination to have Noriega returned to the United states administration officials said privately that Little headway has been apparent in prying Noriega from the Vatican embassy to face drug trafficking charges in the United  officials expressed frustration at the Pace of negotiations. I want to Sec this Man who is under indictment brought to Justice for poisoning the children of the United states of America and people around the world Bush said at a Barbecue held see Noriega on Back Page billion Dollar quake in Australia damaged cars litter a garage after a Strong earthquake hit the City of new Castle Australia and other coastal areas of new South Wales thursday. At least 11 people were known dead and rubble was being searched for other victims. More than 120 were injured. Hundreds of thousands of Homes were without electricity or phone service. Damage was estimated at $1 billion. The 45-second quake measured 5.5 on the Richter scale. Ceausescu brother apparently kills himself Bucharest Romania a Nicolae Ceausescu s older brother was found hanged in the romanian embassy in Vienna Austria and soldiers arrested three relatives of the executed dictator in his Home town thursday. The revolutionary government warned Security police to give up thursday or face execution but there was no indication of a surge in surrenders to meet the deadline. Caus Csc s 74-year-old brother Marin was found dead in the embassy s Trade Section in Vienna where he had worked since 1974. The brother reportedly the head of romanian secret police operations in Western Europe apparently killed himself authorities said. Romanian soldiers and police arrested Ceausescu s sister. Elena Barbulescu and her son Emil As they hid in Caus Csc s Hometown of scorn Costi the official romanian news Agency Ager pics said. Arrested with them was the wife of Ceausescu s brother tic the ousted Deputy defense minister who see Ceausescu on Back Page superpowers appear ready to reap arms packs Badavi Tarrant Brussels Bureau Brussels Belgium 1990 is shaping up to be the year of arms control. After a decade of various talks that yielded Only one treaty affecting a fraction of the world s nuclear weapons prospects suddenly appear to be excellent for negotiations to reduce or in some cases to eliminate weapons of every Stripe conventional nuclear and chemical. As the threat of War Between the United states and the soviet Union fades both countries Are hop ing the time is Ripe for harvesting More arms control agreements. To underscore that Point president Bush said he would do everything in his Power to achieve accords , the president of the United states will kick our bureaucracy and push it As fast As i possibly can for a conventional arms agreement he told a news conference nearly december at nato Headquarters in Brussels. And i m con Vinced that we 1 must do More to keep it on schedule he said add ing that he also would work to expedite talks on nuclear and chemical weapons. In 1990, negotiators will face a hefty lineup of continuing talks from 1989 conventional forces Europe or c a talks. Negotiators for the 23 members of nato and the Warsaw 89 the year in review pact began meeting March 9 in Vienna Austria on slashing conventional forces including both troops and weapons. Bush wants an agreement by the end of 1990. The latest round of talks which ended dec. 21. Saw both sides Issue a working draft of a treaty. Strategic arms reduction talks or Start. Aimed at radically reducing strategic nuclear arse nals the talks received a Strong boost during the Malta Summit when Bush and soviet president Mik Hail Gorbachev agreed to put the talks Back on the fast track and resolve All outstanding issues by the .-soviet Summit set for june in the United states. Chemical weapons. Both soviet and Western officials want a global comprehensive ban on Chemi Cal weapons within 18 to 24 months. Meanwhile americans and soviets Are forging head with the 1987 intermediate Range nuclear continued on Page 3