European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 18, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 28 a a the stars and stripes sunday March 18,1990 a amps Dave Didio too bad Sun Isnit Green a for a Day hostages from Page 1 fifth year in Captivity Friday. Most of the others have been held at least three years. Besharati who visited Lebanon recently said he believes the chances for a hostage release Are better than Ever. A i saw the situation there. And you know nothing is secret in Lebanon. On the basis of my observations i can say the chances for Freedom for the hostages Are brighter than at any time before a he said. He said he did not expect a mass release. A my analysis of the situation is that All the hostages May not be released at one time but gradually a Besharati said. He stressed that Iran had no direct link to the kidnappings. A the islamic Republic of Iran As it has repeatedly said is against the philosophy of hostage taking and Tehran has no direct or indirect role in this he said. An Advance copy of the interview with the English language daily in Tehran was provided to the associated press. The same paper in two recent editorials called for releasing the hostages As an islamic and humanitarian action. Iran finances Hezbollah a shiite moslem militia. The Radical groups holding the hostages Are believed linked to Hezbollah. The Radical faction in Tehran eager to confront a Sfanjani has encouraged the lebanese groups to continue holding the hostages and said Iran should stay out of the matter. A Sfanjani has voiced support for releasing the hostages several times in the past. Ireland a Patron Saint smiles Down on the St. Patrick a Day Parade saturday in Mannheim West Germany Blessing it with Clear warm weather. But the Sun is a Tad Bright for one Little participant Sabrina Senn. The 4-year-old from Mannheim Scho Nau was among local German girls marching through Benjamin Franklin Village. The Parade was put on by Mannheim a american military from Page 1 meetings or Call Public attention to this a Bush said. Nonetheless he Felt the meeting was important. Quot Peggy say is a courageous woman. I just got thinking that Barbara and i would like to hold her Bush also disclosed that he has been in Contact with syrian president Hafez Assad. Quot in be been in touch with him Assad a Bush said As he and the first lady toured the tidal Basin to View the Cherry Blossom Trees in full Bloom. A but no i cannot i done to want to get the Hopes up through a lot of speculation and have them dashed after the meeting with say Bush told National Public radio that he was constrained from speaking because he did not want to a Send a signal to the hostage holders. That there a More advantage in holding the hostages than in releasing a a we re going to continue to do everything we can. I Hope they realize that a Bush said at one Point during the Day when asked if he had a message for the hostage families. A it concerns me every Day that i am alive a the president said earlier in the Day. A a we re going to keep on trying. In a going to do everything i can sometimes privately sometimes at the rally across from the White House say said she is optimistic that world changes will soon bring Freedom to the hostages. A a in a convinced in my heart that in the coming weeks we will see the Resolution of this crisis a she said. A we will see it end in an honorable the ceremony came a Day after the captors of three other kidnapped americans threatened to kill them unless the United states meets their demands and amid re ports of secret talks concerning release of the 18 Western hostages believed held by pro iranian fundamentalist groups in Lebanon. Bush has said frequently in recent weeks that no . Officials Are negotiating to win the americans release. However on Friday he said that he has received some reports from former president Carter who is travelling in the Middle East and from Assad who met with Carter earlier this week. But Carter said after the meeting that he doubted Assad could have much influence in winning release of the emphasized that Carters activities were a totally Kohls influence in election could keep . In Germany by Rosemary Sawyer staff writer Kassel West Germany a West German Chancellor Helmut Kohls Brilliant performance to bolster support for a conservative Alliance in East Germany could help the United states stay in Germany a foreign policy analyst says. Belying his nickname of a cabbage head a the West German Leader a has masterfully gotten to a position where his conservative Alliance has a Chance of winning a a said Robert Pfaltzgraff president of the Institute for foreign policy analysis in Cambridge mass. A Strong showing by the Alliance for Germany in East Germany should help Kohl in West German elections in december said Pfaltzgraff. The analyst answered informal questions last week at a National Security policy seminar sponsored by the office of personnel management. Kohls coalition has favored a United Germany a participation in nato and therefore would be More Likely to invite . Troops to remain. Oskar Lafon Taine Kohls probable social democratic opponent in die december elections has said he opposes nato membership. A the Only basis upon which anyone any foreign troops remains depends on a Strong invitation a Pfaltzgraff said. In East Germany recent polls show the social democrats and the Alliance for Germany As front runners in today selection but a Large Block of voters is still undecided. Pfaltzgraff attributed the jump in support for Kohls Alliance in East Germany to the West German leaders policy on Borders. At first Kohl waffled on the question of permanent recognition of Poland a Western Border with East Germany. Large portions of German Pomerania Silesia and East Prussia were ceded to Poland during the Potsdam conference of 1945. Kohl since has said that a unified Germany must sign a Border treaty with from Page 1 is no possibility of manipulation in the transmitting and compiling of the results from the voting districts a said Biss a 25-year-old student. Three members of the european parliament in Strasbourg France will act As election observers. A five member congressional group headed by rep. Bill Richardson d-n.m., also will observe the vote. The group serves As the . Delegation from the Helsinki commission on human rights. Vote fraud remains a Touchy subject in East Germany. The rigging of local elections in May is considered a main Factor in the fall uprising that toppled hard line communist Leader Erich Honecker opened the Berlin Wall and launched the Reform process. Today a vote is for a new 400-scat parliament. An estimated 12.3 million voters Are eligible to go to the polls scheduled to be open from 7 . To 6 . The elections main Issue is reunification with West Germany. All of the parties expected to reap Large numbers of votes support reunification. But they have different timetables. The social democratic party which is expected to have a neck and neck race with the conservative Alliance for Germany wants reunification within the next two years. The conservatives on the other hand advocate Unity As soon As possible. The East German Liberal coalition advocates reunification without a timetable. This group represented by the federation of free democrats also stresses that reunification must come within existing european Borders. On the left several coalitions Are calling for the slowest possible reunification because they think East Germany is in danger of being overrun by West German Money. These groups include Alliance 90 and the action coalition of the United left. The communists Are expected to end up in an opposition role. Party chief Gregor Gysi has called for a United Germany to remain outside the Western military Alliance echoing Moscow a stand and has pointed to the social safety net set up under communist Rule. Voting has been made As simple As possible. The ballot has the 24 party names. Only one May be checked or the ballot is invalid. A candidates name appears in Only one of the nations 15 voting districts. That Means there Are no National candidates Only National parties. When the votes Are tallied the number of valid votes for a party will be multiplied by the number of parliamentary seats a 400. This figure will then be divided by the number of valid votes for All result is the number of seats the party will have in parliament. Should the results break into fractions the candidate with the highest traction German television is expected to give computer projections hours alter polls close although final official results Are not expected until Early monday. The West German parties have poured heavy Campaign support into East be Many. They have used the vote As a prelude for West German elections 111. Cember and to build up Power bases i the East before reunification. The East German vote was original scheduled for May but with state Hority collapsing rapidly the Date moved up
