European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 22, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 2 a a the stars and stripes thursday March 22,1990news update japanese fire Tokyo up a an Anonymous caller to a major japanese newspaper saying he was frustrated a because he was fired a has claimed responsibility for Japan a worst department store fire in nearly two decades that killed 15 people. The fire sunday raged through the fourth floor of the five Story Nagasaki a supermarket building in Amagasaki near Osaka Japan a second largest City about 250 Miles West of Tokyo. The bla7.c gutted about 10,000 Square feet of floor space. The Blaze killed 12 employees and three boys including two korean Brothers 14 and 10, police said. The Asahi Shimun one of Japan a biggest newspapers said it received a Call monday morning from a Man who said a i set the fire. I did no to think it would turn into such a disaster. I was frustrated because i had been  West May of exempting planes from arms control agreement by David Tarrant Brussels Bureau Brussels Belgium a the West May reluctantly agree to drop combat aircraft from a conventional arms control treaty if major differences Between nato and the Warsaw pact cannot be resolved according to a senior Western official. The soviet Union wants to keep More aircraft under the treaty than the West. A the West is not proposing putting off aircraft a the official said tuesday. A the West is waiting to see whether the soviets make a responsive bid something reasonable so we can have an aircraft agreement. However he said the West May agree to put off a decision on limiting aircraft if the East fails to make a a responsive bid.�?�. A what is the other alternative for the West sign a bad Deal on aircraft a said the official who spoke on condition of anonymity. Nato recently proposed a Compromise plan for reducing nato and soviet bloc aircraft that Aims to resolve the Long standing deadlock at the talks in Vienna Austria. The plan sets a limit of 4,700 on combat planes for each Side. But the soviets Are pushing for a level of aircraft about 3,000 above the West a proposal and about �?o2,500 above what the West now has a the official said. A the West wants to have aircraft limitations and is willing to do it As Long As the soviets come Back with a real proposal. But it takes two to tango a he said. The official also expressed indignation Over a soviet proposal to limit the total number of troops for each Alliance in Central Europe to 750,000. The proposal which has not been formally presented came after the superpowers agreed in Ottawa Canada to a ceiling of 195,000 troops each for the United states and soviet Union in Central Europe. A the West regards the soviets now coming Back and making an additional personnel proposal As essentially the soviets turning away from the Deal they struck in Ottawa a he said. Pentagon seeking authority to revise its rules about laying off officers1 car Accident kills 3 airmen in Spain Torrejon a Spain a amp so a three airmen were killed and one was critically injured when the car in which they were Riding ran off the Road Over the weekend near sic Taguas Spain. The dead service members were identified As senior airman Jesse Lopez of the 401st Supply so senior airman Javier Olive res of the equipment Maint so and sgt. Jaime Athill Lopez who was assigned to the base Hospital. Airman 1st class Alberto a. Bonilla of the trans so is in critical condition at a Valencia Hospital. The one car Accident occurred about 3 30 . Saturday on then Iii Highway about 45 Miles West of  expelled boy in slashing incident Mannheim West Germany a amps a military Community officials said wednesday that a 16-year-old student was expelled from Mannheim High school for a feb. 28 incident in which he slashed a schoolmate in the face. The youth a minor whom the Community would not name faced no other disciplinary action officials said. The boy later returned to the United states with his family. The victim another 16-year-old, has since moved to England to live with a relative. The Community previously said the youth had returned to the United  sales Kaiserslautern West Germany a the defense re utilization and marketing office will hold retail sales on Friday mornings beginning this week. The sales will be in area 100, near the former Auto stripping Yard from 8 30 . To 10 . Only . Identification card holders May participate. Electrical equipment wooden furniture and Beds will be for Sale. Transactions will be in dollars and All sales Are final. Items arc to be sold a was  customers must remove purchases by noon the Day of the Sale. No property Sale will be held on april 13, officials said. Further information is available from ets 483-8691 or civilian 0631 -40307. Washington apr the Pentagon is urging Congress to give the military the authority to revise the Way some personnel Are Laid off saying changes Are needed so that forces remain balanced As a leaner defense department cuts Back. A we need to work together to get some package put together to provide us with the flexibility we need to manage the Force draw Down we All know is coming a said Christopher Jehn assistant Secretary of defense for Force management and personnel. Jehn and representatives of the military services tuesday stressed before a Senate armed services subcommittee the importance of Quick approval of legislation the defense department proposed in july 1989. The Bill revises certain restrictions involving voluntary and involuntary a a separation of commissioned officers. Among the proposed changes would be allowing military secretaries to Convene selective Early retirement boards to Force retirement of lieutenant colonels and commanders who have failed to receive a promotion on one occasion. Previously officers had to fail to gain promotion twice before they would be considered by the Board for retirement. A we Are asking for additional flexibility to allow us to shape the officer corps in a balanced and equitable Way a said army it. Gen. Allen k. Ono Deputy chief of staff for personnel. Sens. John Glenn a Ohio chairman of the armed services subcommittee on manpower and personnel and John Mccain r-ariz., said Congress needs a report on the Pentagon a policy plans for its forces As it weighs the defense department request. Jehn said the report wont be completed until the end of the year. $7,000 donated to 2 survivors of fire Frankfurt West Germany a amps a some $7,000 has been donated to a memorial fund set up for two children who survived a restaurant fire March 7. Brandon Atkins 4, and his sister Kesha 8, were seriously injured in the fire that killed their parents and three other family members. Brandon suffered Burns but was released from the Frankfurt army regional medical Center on wednesday a Hospital spokesman said. Kesha was in fair condition at the Frankfurt University Hospital with broken Bones internal and head injuries and Burns. Brandon was released in the temporary custody of his fathers sister Gloria Saldano who left her Home in new York to take care of family matters in West Germany. Permanent custody of the children has not been determined. The five family members killed in the fire were army sgt. Errol Atkins and his wife Marva daughter Tanya son Errol or. And Mother in Law Margaret Ramsey. Their bodies have been Floynn to their native Home of Belize for burial. Officials Are still trying to determine the cause of the Blaze at the Kayo chinese korean restaurant which killed six other people. Donations to the Errol Atkins family in memorial fund can be made at any merchants National Bank but should refer to the 97th general Hospital Branch and the account number 037110535. 2 activists seized after damaging Al 11 Raf upper Heyford England a amps a two peace activists were arrested wednesday after cutting through a Fence and damaging a . Air Force Al 11 tactical fighter bomber officials said. Air Force Security police apprehended the men about 5 . Near the plane said 3rd air Force spokesman capt. Raymond Martell. The men were turned Over to British authorities and were to appear in Banbury magistrates court thursday a spokesman for the ministry of defense said. The peace group swords into ploughshares identified the men As activists Stephen Hancock 23, and Mike Hutchinson 35. Swords into ploughshares said the men hammered a control panel inside the cockpit according to the associated press. A they symbolically disarmed the f-111 nuclear capable fighter bomber in protest at the Lack of real disarmament and against Western intervention in the third world a swords into ploughshares said in a statement. Martell said he did not know the extent of damage to the plane. A fall we know is that there was some damage done a he said. A we were today assessing exactly what the damage was. Martell would not say whether the f-111 was inside or outside a hangar when the incident occurred. 6 gis seriously injured in Jamaica Brawl Kingston Jamaica apr six . Soldiers on leave from Panama were seriously injured in a weekend Brawl at a Kingston nightclub. A . Embassy spokesman confirmed a newspaper Rev that six soldiers were seriously injured sunday night and were treated for a stabs cuts and broken Bones a but he would give no details of the circumstances. The soldiers were not  spokesman speaking on Condi Tion of anonymity said the soldiers flew Back to Panama on monday for further treatment at a . Military Hospital. They were among a group of soldiers based in Panama who were visiting the Caribbean Island for a Rugby tournament the spokesman said. The Star an afternoon daily said several jamaicans also were injured in the Brawl at the Epiphany club. It said the fighting began after the soldiers walked in and started causing a disturbance. A they paid at the Gate but once they came inside they started pulling of plants from the pots hoisting their to on the sofas and making a lot of n0 see said Martell Crosby an employee of the nightclub. 4he said the soldiers were told to St p being disorderly and one of them i with a racial slur. The soldiers Al w White and most of the other my Etc patrons were Black. A fight broke out and the soldiers into the Street where bystanders Joi in beating them witnesses said