European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 20, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 28 a a the stars and stripes tuesday March 20,1990 news briefs hostages future unclear amid conflicting reports Washington apr iranian hard liners have derailed moderates efforts for the release of Western hostages in the Mideast Abc news reported sunday. But a senior iranian official said prospects for the hostages release have never been better. Leaders of groups holding hostages in Lebanon were summoned to Tehran for meetings last week Abc s Pierre Salinger reported from Paris on sunday quoting sources within the Hezbollah movement in Lebanon. A there the current plan to release the hostages was sabotaged by iranian hard liners opposed to iranian president Hashmi Raf Sanja in a Salinger reported. A the hostage leaders returned to Lebanon three Days ago and one of the organizations islamic jihad issued a statement saying the hostages  be released a he said. A this position was confirmed at a secret meeting in Lebanon 48 hours  in an interview with Tehran times newspaper in Iran published sunday Ali Mohammad Besharati first Deputy foreign minister said a i can say that All the hostages May be released by next january.�?�2 crewmen eject safely before f4-g Jet crashes Seoul South Korea apr a . Air Force f4-g phantom Jet fighter taking part in joint .-South Korea military exercises crashed South of Seoul monday but the two crewmen aboard ejected safely authorities said. The Jet from Clark a in the Philippines crashed near Chingju 60 Miles South of Seoul shortly after i p.m., . Military officials said. The Pilot and weapons systems officer on Board the aircraft ejected safely but were admitted to a military Hospital for a checkup it said. The announcement did not identify the crewmen. Military officials were investigating the cause of the Accident. The South korean news Agency Yon Hap said the Jet exploded after crashing into a Mountainside near a  from Page 1 live in secure Borders will not be questioned by us germans through territorial claims either now or in the future a he said. Kohl said his nation remains committed to the economic integration of Europe and he said the european Community should intensify its links with the emerging democracies of the East bloc. A a United Germany will stimulate growth and that will Benefit our partners in the european Community and beyond a he said. Members of the . Delegation to the Bonn conference reacted favourably to Kohls comments. Rep. Bill Richardson d-n.m., said he was pleased by Kohls Strong commitment to nato and by his endorsement of current German polish Borders. A we Trust the germans. They have been Strong allies a he said. Richardson was among a five member congressional delegation on hand in East Germany sunday As Independent election observers. The group which also included sen. Paul Sarbanis d-md., and reps. John Bryant a Texas David Skaggs a Colo. And Jack Butch nor r-mo., flew from East Berlin to Bonn for the Start of mondays conference. Latvian Independence front wins but fails to get Majori Moscow apr the latvian Peoples front emerged victorious monday after the Baltic republics first tree elections in 50 years but initial results showed it failed to achieve the majority needed to press for Independence. Meanwhile reformers claimed victories in crucial Runoff elections sunday in the russian byelorussian and ukrainian republics the slavic heartland that accounts for 80 percent of the soviet unions territory and two thirds of its population. In Moscow a Prol Tarsky District former political prisoner Victor Bulgakov Defeated Yuri Gorbachev a local Kab official in a race for a City Council seat. And in Leningrad pro democracy activists claimed Many victories in individual races and estimated they would control at least 65 percent of the City Council said Elena Zelinskaya of the Northwest information Agency. Communist party officials scored some victories she said mostly in a a closed electoral districts such As army bases where campaigning is not allowed. Activists had hoped sundays elections to parliaments in the Baltic republics of Latvia and Estonia would follow the Lead of nearby Lithuania and bring supporters of Independence to Power. The three Baltic republics were annexed by the soviet Union in 1940. Estonia has not yet reported any election results. Local journalist Michael Taro predicted that the Peoples front would win about 35 of the 105 seats in the republics parliament with 15 or 20 More going to other pro Independence groups. T in Latvia Peoples front supporters won 108 seats the 201-member parliament a Large majority Moneth 170 legislators elected according to initial results cited la the official soviet news Agency Tass. The independen activists needed a two thirds majority to change Latvia Constitution. F among the newly elected lawmakers were 97 comm nist party members 34 of whom were Peoples Frol supporters. Party officials lost badly in the Countryside but were victorious in Latvia a capital of Riga Tass of ported. Voter turnout across the Republic was 70 percen the Agency said. Thousands of Peoples front supporters rallied Sunda in Riga urging voters to support their movement. At Leaf five other parties including the environmental Green competed in the latvian elections Tass said. In Lithuania Independence activists won in Febrial and Early March elections for parliament and legislator declared the Republic Independent on March 13. The soviet Congress declared the move illegal. On i Day president Mikhail Gorbachev gave the Republic thru Days to respond and later offered to meet with Lithuania lawmakers. A delegation arrived in Moscow for talks monday Juas the deadline was  from Page 1 spokesman added a every numbers negotiable. We believe adequate National Security is based on the $3.9 million Cut. That a the one that we  for the fiscal year beginning oct. 1, the administration has requested $307 billion in budget authority and $303 billion in outlays for the defense department the department of Energy and military construction projects. The administrations request although higher than last year is 2 percent below the level required to keep up with inflation. But some members of Congress with an Eye to the developments in the soviet Union and Europe amid economic pressures at Home Are pressing for heftier cuts. Cheney in a speech to the american defense preparedness association acknowledged the relationship Between the superpowers a clearly has taken a turn for the better and a the threat of a sudden soviet invasion of Western Europe clearly has  but he argued a great uncertainty remains about the course of Reform in the soviet Union and the soviets retain a enormous military capabilities a particularly in strategic nuclear weapons systems. Cheney a View has clashed with the More Sanguin Public View Cia director William Webster has take of the potential soviet military threat. Cheney Sai monday that a my Job Calls for me to err on the Side  a it would be irresponsible of me. To run out an focus Only on the Good news a he said. Even so Cheney said the Pentagon has Cut its projections for spending Over the upcoming five year Peif of a by $231 billion during his past year in office. A by March of 1995, defense spending will be Dou to the lowest share of Gnu since before world War i these Are real cuts they Are big and they relate direct and rationally to the reduced threat. But these cuts Al As far As we can responsibly go a Cheney said. I the former congressman from Wyoming accused i former colleagues on Capitol Hill of having a a memo lapse in demanding Steep defense cuts because tha rejected his proposals for killing such programs Asta v-22 Osprey tilt Rotor plane and the f-14d Jet fight last year. A the resistance to cuts we keep running into i right up there on Capitol Hill a with those folks Elj say they want me to Cut the defense budget. But i course they done to want me to close any bases she Down any production lines or do anything that Mig have an Impact on somebody a base Back Home on u District a Cheney said. In his speech the defense Secretary also said he an Bush a want to keep moving Forward As fast As we off Sibly can on the strategic defense initiative. . Teachers Back in classroom Charleston . Apr teachers throughout West Virginia returned to their classrooms monday after voting overwhelmingly to end an 11-Day strike. A a they re Back a said Jackie Goodwin a spokeswoman for the 16,000-member West Virginia education association the main teachers Union in the state. Unions in 43 of the states 55 counties voted by Large majorities sunday or Early monday to accept a Back to school agreement reached by Union leaders and state legislative leaders on saturday. A a we be made our Point. We won a lot of respect Una and strength through this a Goodwin said. Teachers upset Over the states refusal to Grant i raises walked out March 7. Educators in just nine Ott states 5 5 counties voted not to support the strike. The settlement does not specifically address salaries i which averaging $21,904 in 1988-89, were ranked Neal last among the 50 states a but Calls for lawmakers an Union leaders to work out a plan for improved pay a  from Page 1 Kohl. Like the Alliance Kohl supports speedy unification. The social democrats placed a Distant second with 21.84 percent and 87 scats. The Union of free democrats a centrist party that also supports slower reunification won 5.28 percent or 21 seats. Bohme said the social democrats had also decided against entering a coalition with the communist party which sought its support to prevent conservatives from achieving the two thirds parliamentary majority. The communists who ruled the nation with an Iron fist before being toppled in october won 16.33 percent of the votes and 65 seats. The party renamed the party of democratic socialism cautioned that rapid reunification would Hurt East Germany. The rest of the vote was divided among 20 smaller parties and groupings including such diverse contenders As the Beer drinkers party. It won just 0.02 percent of the vote not enough to have a seat in parliament. Interestingly the Vanguard of the pro democracy revolution that made the election possible fared poorly. New forum in an Alliance with two other groups ended with just 2.9 percent of the vote. It will have 12 seats in parliament. The United states and Britain praised the orderly election. The campaigning was harsh but no irregularities were reported in voting. Prime minister Margaret Thatcher called the election a new beginning for East Germany and another step inc spread of democracy through Ltd and Eastern Europe. The White House called it a a histor  there was no in Mcdiar comment from Washington on the i results. J according to East German Law t new parliament must Comsti Tut within 30 Days of the election. The new government will take put unification talks with West a and the four world War ii allies d Tain France the soviet Union i United states