European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 24, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Inside strikes d Canadian forces Cut won t affect Europe Page 2 d Senate begins probe of sen. Durenberger Page 5 d never too late for love More Valentines Center Section d Duarte Salvador s sex president Dies after Long Battle Page 28 the stars authorized unofficial publication for the . Armed forces Good morning vol. 48. No. 313 saturday. February 24, 1990 a d. &.,. D 8693 a soviets suggest troop ceiling total of 750,000 in Central Europe Vienna. Austria a the soviet Union thursday suggested nato and the Warsaw pact limn the number of troops in Central Europe to 750.000 each an East German negotiator said the superpowers have agreed to a Ceil my of 195.000 troops Cash for the United slates and soviet Union in Central Europe. The agreement reached at meetings among nato and Warsaw pact foreign ministers in Ottawa is to be part of a final Aee Ord on reducing troops tanks artillery and other non nuclear arms in Europe. Negotiators Hope to reach agreement on the Accord before the end of this year. The new proposal combined with East bloc nations plans to Cut heir own armed forces would Lead to nato having More manpower in the Region than the Warsaw pact said East Germany s chief Delegate at the arms talks. Klaus Dieter Ernst. Ernst said the seven Warsaw pact countries would have a total troop strength in Central Europe of 600.000 to 700,000 troops while the West would have a total of some i million troops. That situation is totally unsatisfactory Ernst said. Western sources appeared to contest Ernst s estimate saying nato currently has about 900,000 troops in Central Europe which covers West Germany. East Germany the Netherlands Belgium Luxembourg. Czechoslovakia. Poland. Hungary and Denmark. In the Wake of democratic reforms in East european nations and their growing Independence from the soviet Union Hungary and Czechoslovakia have begun negotiations with the Kremlin on a total withdrawal of soviet troops from their territories. Those talks Are separate from the ongoing Vienna talks. E. German vote May Spur unification Bonn. West Germany a East Germany May opt for an immediate merger with West Germany after elections on March 18. A top official in the West Ger Man go Ernie no has predicted in a report published Fedaj. Interior minister Wolfgang Schauble told . Officials that the East German parliament to be elected in three weeks a be too divided to agree on a new government and it could instead Vole to join West Germany the Bonn daily newspaper die Well reported. East Germany s economic crisis has accelerated in recent weeks forcing the government to end food subsidies and prompting speculation that the nation is on the verge of bankruptcy. German unification and the economic and political issues it raises arc expected to dominate discussions this weekend when West German Chancellor Helmut Kohl meets with president Bush at Camp David. My. In the die Welt report sch Diuble is reported to have told Secretary of state James Baker and National Security adviser Brent scowcroft that East Germany s first Ever free elections May fail to produce a new leadership that could set to work on an economic Rescue plan. It is conceivable that there will be no More East German government after March  Schauble was quoted by the newspaper As saying. Communist candidates arc expected to fare badly due to widespread resentment of the once omnipotent party s role in leading the nation into its current eco nomic crisis. East German Premier Hans Modrow the most trusted communist politician has not decided yet whether to run As his party s top candidate. The numerous pro democracy opposition parties Are poorly organized and inexperienced and this has fostered a near takeover by their West German sister parties. The new 400-Membcr parliament to be seated by the March in Vole is supposed to choose a Cabinet to succeed Modrow s transitional government. Hut if the vote is spread too broadly among the numerous parties they May be unable to agree on a new leadership that could work with West Germany on an economic recovery plan. Scha Uble said he considered an inconclusive vote the More probable outcome of the elections die Welt said. One of the most critical decisions affecting the Pace and manner of unification will be the rate at which the East German Mark is made convertible for the Power Ful West German currency. In other developments East Berlin s communist mayor Erhard Krack see vote on Back Page two year old Lea Erlmann tosses food to Birds gathering at a Pond in West Berlin s Tiet ensue Park in swimming in swans daunted by the fact that she s smaller than the swans surrounding her. , daughter of a West Berlin resident. S4s a Wick c by took advantage of the sunny weather As Winter seemed to be starting its Swan song. Pair plans Hawaii trip on winnings Sacramento Calif. A a California couple who will share in North America s third largest lottery Prie of $68.5 million said thursday they would take an extended fishing trip and buy land for a Church. Lydia and David Neufeld of Simi Valley were among three ticket holders to claim shares of the record state Jackpot. A fourth Winner has it to step Forward but still has Iso Davs to do so. Each winning ticket is Worth $17.1 million paid in 20 annual instalments of $685,600 after taxes. The winners emerged after a four Day spell of brisk lotto ticket sales which hit a Pace of 1.850 per second at one Point As the hopeful lined up to buy scores of tickets at a time. The $68.5 million Jackpot is the third highest Ever trailing april 1989 lottery prizes of $115 million in Pennsylvania and $69.9 million in Illinois. In addition to the Neufeldt. Winners who stepped Forward thursday were Michael Vang of the los Angeles suburb of Valencia and Joan Young of Laguna Niguel in Orange county. We re going to leave the cold climate of Simi Valley said Neufeld a 57-year old plasterer. We re going to the Island see trip on Back Page