European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 29, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 2 j \ the stars and stripes monday january 29,1990 top military role at a amps us. Ombudsman wants civilian news  by a thick Vinch \v�shingr8 urea a Washington a military frers should remain at the Helm of the stars and stripes newspapers but control Over news Content should be film u in the hands of civilian editors the paper s new ombudsman said Friday. Quot a fall that is needed is the proper relationship Between the military commander and the civilian editor Quot he stated. Ltd a a the five Page report focused almost exclusively on the stars and so. A Pacific edition. That Nero paper based in Tok it As been much heft for hit by censorship charge than its  counterpart Quot the military commander As the publisher should a Ija cd in Darmstadt West a Prnjai be primarily concerned with the business end of the Peirie s main  was that the military newspaper operation and leave the editorial work to office shading the Nemyj papers should retain their titles As the civilian  Philip Fisic said in an interview. A was with most . Newspapers this does t mean the publisher surrenders control a he said. Quot the publisher always has ultimate control but the Day to Day the it Fluary command it control belongs to the civilian  should a a Delegate to the i in the first of a series of reports that he will Issue on Van editor the Content of editorial operations at the stars and stripes new spa tomorrow s newspaper Quot he pcs. Fisic said it would be Quot neither desirable note said feasible Quot to remove military officers from the Frt let offices and appoint civilians instead As the gemeral accounting office and some lawmakers . He said a More extensive report addressing other issues would be released soon. Hui reports arc submitted to the department of Daft Csc and the House armed services committee. Quot a senior military officer is Best qualified to negotiate for the newspaper in this military  Fisic or Orfin the report dated Jan. 12 and released Friday,.-&Quot Quot the unified commands will not accept a stars and stripes operating in their Heaters that is not under military  he also said it was t necessary to a civilian inc Quot the commander s role to ensure High editorial standards. Officer commanded but their traditional tors in chief. A  air Force col. Edwin Montgo Meiy. Commander of the Pacific edition said foist cd a plan was a workable but i would say it s very important to get input from the commander on the selection Folsie of the civilian editor in order to get the right relationship Between  a Gao report found evidence of censorship under Montgomery. In Darmstadt air Force col. Gene e. Townsend commander of the european edition said a emr. Fisic has one of the most outstanding reputations in the journalism profession and his recommendations have much  Townsend said Fisic who has spent much More time in had Pacific theater was scheduled to visit Europe again  february for several weeks. Quot following that visit. I am sure he will have similar recommendations to make to our european commanders and defense department Public affairs personnel Quot Townsend said. Fisic said the civilian editor should be under contract with a term that would coincide with the military publishers tour and be renewable at the discretion of the next publisher. Private sector publishers Quot never surrender ultimate control Over editorial Content Quot Foisie said adding that they routinely become involved in such issues As Quality control i Btl threats news stories touching on National Security or material that could be considered offensive in a family newspaper. A the publisher knows in turn what he or she must not ask or the news  Fisic said. A they Are not to be used for example to protect or Reward a Friend punish an enemy or support or condemn a cause. Quot i Sec no reason Why this private sector relationship it be successfully applied to the hybrid Enterprise  by the stars and stripes in both  foist off former editor at the Washington Post and International to Geld Tribune newspapers. He took the ombudsman Post  in the Wake of allegations that military command Oft a cd theater command officials practice censorship and n5<�stmanagcment in Europe and the Pacific. V x the charges led to a general accounting office investigation. The Gao a report issued in december 1988, found a conclusive evidence of censorship at the Pacific edition but inconclusive evidence at the european edition. News update greek elections Athens. Greece apr the coalition  has announced that Palia Mcnary elections will be held april 8. Ending an administration that United leftists and conservatives in an uneasy partnership. I Friday s announcement came after the leaders q the conservative. Socialist and communist parties met with Premier Xenophon Zolotas. It did not mention whether a caretaker Govan mint would oversee the clcction.1 the three parties Pul aside their differences in november to form a temporary government after National voting june 18 and nov. 5 produced inconclusive results. ,. Airlines report Washington apr the number of passengers flying on scheduled american airlines decreased last year while the number of Miles increased by 2.3 percent the air transport associations says. The Trade association said . Airlines flew 421 billion passenger Miles during 1989, both in the United slates and overseas. But the total number of passengers decreased slightly to 430 million. The number of Domestic air passengers was Down 1.1 percent to a total of 393 million. But International passenger traffic increased by 9.5 percent to 101 billion passenger Miles the association said. Passengers on International flights increased by 5.2 percent to 36.8 million. West German opposition growing to sep Niento of chemical we pins a., in or Ivic s. In  a tilt in the Stan in Crich their  is Fhelt the v by de Reavis a to Rcd ships to Johnson atoll in the South staff writer a Pacific where it will be destroyed a said political opposition is growing Man Peck a spokesman for the West Germany to a government plan Wrens in Bonn to transport hundreds of tons of Poison Gas by truck and rail to a port on the North sea. Citizens groups and some political parties especially the Green party contend that transportation of the military weapons poses too great a danger. Disposal of the toxins is planned for sometime this year in accordance with a 1986 agreement reached in Tokyo Between former president Reagan and West German Chancellor Helmut Kohl. . And West German officials have been unwilling to provide details of the plan. The opposition groups however claim that 7,000 tons of highly Poison on gases vex and Sarin Are stored . Depots in the towns of Fishbach and Clausen both in the West German state of Rheinland Pfalz. The Green party says the government plans to truck Large quantities of the gases in More thar 20 convoys to the Railhead at the Usk depot in Miessau. A from there  take it by train to no Denham port near Bremer Haven where it will be shipped on .-Char pack Jaid he believes the move is j i a lit schedule ctr for this summer because pts lice  Quot Quot Quot in that time. Limited vacations Tif a the convoys Wilt Taivo Lve thousands Tel  transport these of Security personnel tation routes. A drop of Tow of substances can kill a Uran an Placid Cut during this operation which will Tajc weeks could me apr death for several hundreds of people to the immediate area Peck said. It a spokesman for the . Depot at Miessau Weald not comment on the project cd Certo say that the United states was working with West German authorities on plans to Transfer the chemical weapons. It. Col. Helmuth Fischer a spokesman for the West German defense ministry which is responsible for coordinating the removal said the weapons Quot will not be substituted by any other kind of Poison Gas a binary or otherwise. Thais All we have to say on the subject for now. At the Lime of the removal we will together with our american allies adequately inform the Public of our  Fischer would not comment further. Peck and some citizen groups have said their main criticism is that the West German government has not allowed  on the subject which both Tho to Frens and the social democratic a tarty of Germany have formally request a a de. Citizen groups have demonstrated at the Gate of inc . Depot at Clausen. Quot of course we also want to get rid of the s aft but we want to know Why our government opted for having the Poison removed and not incinerated on site Quot Peck said. The greens spokesman noted that exp a Tensive Public debate was held in the Quot United states about How to dispose of Poison Gas arsenals. Eventually it was  the containers in the United states in log too Rusty to Transfer the chemicals Erifily. Special incinerators arc being built to Bro the chemicals on site. The Bonn govt uncut rejected that solution claiming the containers in West Germany Are in . Quot we find that hard Tootsie pc Here in our climate Quot Peck said. Quot hut we can to prove it because the Govch min will not allow Independent experts of to the  \ the greens and several local citizen groups that have sprung up along the reported route of the convoys Hope to mobilize Public opinion to Force a debate he said. 250 jobs to be Cut at Pentagon Washington apr defense Secretary Dick Cheney has ordered that about 250 jobs be Cut Over the next three fiscal years from the staff that supports the Pentagon s civilian leadership the defense department announced Friday. The reduction in the staff formally known As the office of the Secretary of defense will be taken in three separate reductions in fiscal years 1991, 1992 and 1993, the department said in a statement. Similar cuts have been ordered in the Money allocated for outside contract services the statement said. The reductions Are designed to comply with the Secretary a efforts to streamline the Pentagon bureaucracy As called for under his defense management review. Quot with tight budgets every element of the departments work Force must pass the same test of necessity and efficiency. My staff has to make the Grade just like everybody else a Cheney said in the statement. The statement did not say exactly How the cuts would be achieved but Pentagon spokesman army maj. David super said officials expect Normal attrition to help in the reductions