European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 21, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Wednesday february 21,1990 critical of Pacific a amps editor Page 28 the stars and Stripe report highly by Randy Pruitt staff writer the military editor of the Pacific stars and stripes who resigned last week was sharply criticized in an ombudsman s report for journalistic ally unacceptable news management that induced an atmosphere of self censorship at the newspaper. Ombudsman Philip Foisie a second report on the Tokyo based paper was made Public tuesday. Calling the editing process under air Force col. Edwin j. Montgomeryjr. Quot seriously  Fisic wrote in his introduction a this has not resulted in censorship in the sense of readers being effectively and systematically deprived of any specific category of . And International  nevertheless Montgomery came under fire for his Day to Day involvement in editorial decisions. In a report last month Foisie recommended that the title and role of the military commander editor in chief be changed to commander publisher and that a civilian be hired As editor to determine editorial Content and supervise the staff. In his second report Fisic recommended that references to a dual Mission in the governing regulation or the stars and stripes newspapers be eliminated. The missions require the newspapers to provide their readers with the same news available to newspapers in the United states As Well As a applicable . Government defense department command and local news and  a use of the phrase generates continuous misunderstanding and controversy Quot Foisie wrote. Quot there is really Only one Mission which is to provide the Best newspaper possible As quickly As possible to those entitled to receive  Foisie said a Quot presumed ban on investigative reporting Quot in the regulation has been misused to restrict routine reporting. He also suggested that a new personnel system behave from Page 1 Quot above All i want to inform the americans about what happened in our country what Are the International consequences of it what is our foreign policy what it will be. And i want to Lay foundations for a real authentic Friendship Between our two  he said on Abc s a today Quot show Quot we Are also interested in Trade  after his television appearance Havel went to Georgetown University where he spent nearly an hour answering questions irom students through an interpreter. He Drew laughter at one Point when he said Quot there no longer Are any dissidents in Czechoslovakia. If there Are they Are in government or other High  Havel also said that his government is Quot facing a difficult task of changing Quot the Economy and has removed All controls on Freedom of speech. And Havel said he has no fears about German reunification so Long As the new country is a democracy. Quot i would t be afraid of a democratic country if it had 100 million people but i would be afraid of a totalitarian country with a million people a he said. Havel s visit comes As relations Are fast warming Between Prague and Washington. Quot our relationship has been sort of Frozen with the communist government a whose fall led to Havel s dec. 29 installation As president said a senior administration official who briefed White House reporters about the visit. Quot and we re now Able to warm it up i think rather naturally and  Havel arrived in Washington on monday evening after stops in Iceland and Canada in the week before his first trip to Moscow. Besides his private visit with Bush in the Oval office he met with top Bush advisers and was the guest at a White House lunch. Havel is not expected to seek an economic handout from Washington but rather to focus on Czechoslovakia s role in the future of Europe and International financial institutions said the administration official who spoke on condition of anonymity. Havel s country is on much firmer economic footing than its neighbors Poland and Hungary. Shirley Temple Black the . Ambassador to Czechoslovakia who accompanied Havel on the helicopter trip from Andrews fab to Washington said Quot they want to know about managing. They did no to come for the  instituted for civilian editorial employees to give the editor More control Over the composition and Quality of the editorial stall. The new system also should guarantee that stripes reporters Are treated the same As reporters of other Media. Measures should be taken to either reduce the number of enlisted personnel assigned to the Pacific stars and stripes newsroom he said or to have More control Over their selection. Foisie attributed Many of the problems at the Pacific edition to Montgomery s Lack of journalistic experience and a this refusal to allow for his inexperience or even to regard it As a Handicap and to Delegate  the ombudsman spent 32 Days in the Pacific stars and stripes newsroom and said be interviewed All but four of the 31 journalists employed As Well As five Pacific Bureau chiefs. He conducted about eight hours of interviews with Montgomery. A in the Tokyo newsroom today there is a confusion of leadership among senior journalists disorganization with no Clear lines of authority poor communication bad relations Between the Staft bureaus outside the newsroom and the news and copy desks very Low morale an incipient Staft revolt Ana one might say a Start conspiracy Quot the report said. The report accused some Staft members of exaggeration in their claims of alleged censorship particularly reports that the paper killed unfavourable stories about the by and b-2 bombers. Foisie s review of published articles showed 22 a negative Quot articles on the b-2 and 24 a Neutral Quot articles while 43 of 56 articles on the by reported criticism of or problems with the aircraft. However Foisie found that Montgomery exerted a Subtle pressure on the editorial staff by stating his concern about the paper s poor relations with commanders and Public affairs officers. At one Point Montgomery told a Bureau chief that the newspaper would cease to exist without the support of commanders the report said. Quot the colonel has too often been on the wrong Side of the line that divides news management and acceptable editorial  Foisie wrote. On occasion Montgomery reminded the staff that the newspaper a was Dilt Crint from other newspapers Quot stressing its military Mission and Quot that the staff must understand its status As a . Government instrumentality Quot the report said. The ombudsman s report said he uncovered evidence of external influences that hampered the free flow of information a the non response or slow response to queries the insistence on cumbersome routing of queries and various other kinds of stonewalling or other inhibitions on the ability of the. Reporters to gather  but he praised both the Pacific and european editions of the stars and stripes. A the newspapers can and should be improved but they arc Good newspapers. They Are journalistic ally sound. On a Day to Day basis. The bulk of their editorial staffs Are hard working and Loyal. They probably serve their readers As Well As Many . Commercial dailies and better than quite a  but he also said the stars and stripes is a burdened by congressional oversight restrictions on growth inadequate control Over its own personnel  and Fisic who has been visiting the european edition during the last two weeks said his role As ombudsman is still misunderstood. A some journalists have said they expect me to Side with the military because it is my paymaster he is employed by the department of defens Ean attitude apparently shared by a few members of congressional stats a Foise said. Quot some in the military assume ill take the civilian journalists Side because of my 40 years on  Foisie said that if he represents anyone it is the newspaper Reader. Aquino prepared to open talks on . Bases As Cheney leaves Manila Philippines apr philippine president Corazon Aquino who snubbed . Defense Secretary Dick Cheney during his two Day visit said tuesday she is ready to discuss a in sincerity and Good Faith Quot differences Over compensation for american bases in her country. Cheney on a two week tour that also has taken him to Hawaii South Korea and Hong Kong headed tuesday for Okinawa Japan from Clark a in the Philippines. Quot i Welcome the statement of support for this government and philippine Democrat made by Secretary Cheney on behalf of the United states a Aquino said in a statement released in Manila at the end of Cheney a visit. "1 also Welcome his reiteration that the United states will make its Best efforts to meet its pledge for foreign assistance Quot she added referring to the $96 million shortfall in the $481 million in Aid the Bush administration promised for the use of six military bases. Aquino said the problem Quot appears to be with the . Congress and its funding priorities. But we arc As ready As the americans to discuss these difficulties in sincerity and Good  talks on the future of the bases whose lease expires in september 1991, Are expected to begin in april. Columnist Manuel Martinez wrote tuesday in the Independent newspaper the Manila times that americans were exploiting the Philippines. A when you think of your visit Here. Or. Cheney remember you Are coming to a country you massively looted and maimed and occupied Quot Martinez said. Quot and what do you do to the Ordinary filipino you destabilize his democratic government. You bamboozle his lady president. You wring his neck with foreign  on monday Cheney met with philippine defense officials angry Over what they believe is american failure to Honor commitments made in 1988 to maintain the bases. Cheney told them the United slates will abandon its bases in the Philippines if it finds that keeping them is too expensive or that americans Are unwelcome. The United states a will stay Only As Long As the philippine people wish it to stay a and Only if the terms negotiated Are acceptable to both parties Quot Cheney told reporters after the meeting. Aquino was so upset Over the Cut in . Aid made by Congress that she announced before Cheney began his trip that be would not see him leaving that task to her defense minister Fidel Ramos. Security was tight during the Brief visit to Clark a where Cheney inspected . Military aircraft. Last september rebels killed two american civilian employees of Camp o Donnell about 15 Miles North of the base on the Day vice president Dan Quayle arrived in Manila. On monday about 300 leftists clashed with police during a demonstration at the base demanding that Clark and the five other . Bases be closed. Police also dispersed about 200 protesters in front of the . Embassy in Manila. ,. A we recognize there is a shortfall of $96 million Over what we had anticipated a Cheney said after meeting with Ramos. A i also pointed out that in East Asia in this part of the world the United states provided a Little Over $600 million and about $500 million of that comes specifically to the  an influential filipino minority is pressuring Aquino not to renew the agreement. In addition leading filipino congressmen have urged her to postpone those discussions until this years cuts Are restored. There Are about 18,000 . Military personnel in the Philippines plus 20,000 dependents. Ramos acknowledged that the Bush administration needs congressional approval for Aid commitments but he said he told Cheney that a time is of the essence Quot in meeting . Obligations. The Secretary said Ramos had been Quot very direct and very forthright in presenting his governments position. Asked whether he could say that his government wanted the base to remain Ramos declined to answer the question saying the Issue was under discussion in the philippine  from Page 1 theorized under the restrictions imposed by the . Commander in  . Service members Are restricted to visiting East Berlin Between 8 . And Midnight and must enter and leave through checkpoint Charlie. They Are also prohibited from Riding subways and trains through ast Berlin while travelling from one part of West Berlin to another