European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 25, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 28 a a the stars and stripes Friday May 25,1990 fast unification losing favor in West Germany Bonn Ecsi Germany apr most West germans favor slowing Down German unification according to a poll published thursday and Law officials said one Price of the Unity process could be an outbreak of leftist terrorism in East Germany. Chancellor Helmut Kohl has opted for the fast track to unification choreographing the upcoming july 2 economic merger of the two Ger Many and suggesting All German elections As Early As this december. Kohl s plans however have been encountering hitches and its still unclear when full political Union will occur. The soviet Union has been slowing up the Unity process with its objections to nato membership for a United Germany. On the Domestic Side West German opposition politicians want to put the Breaks on holding All German elections this year and the East German government is apparently split on the idea of Early Unity elections. Many West germans while fully supporting unification As do their Eastern neighbors have grown nervous about Kohls Rush to Unity. According to a poll published thursday by the news Magazine Stern 60 percent of West germans asked think unification is occurring too quickly and 65 percent believe this year is too Early for All German elections. A vast majority a 77 percent a said the final decision on full Unity should not be left up to the two German parliaments As desired by Kohl but should be decided in an All German referendum Stern said. The Magazine did not say How Many people were questioned or give the polls margin of error. Many West germans worry that Hasty unification will jeopardize their hard earned affluence since East Germany will be heavily reliant on West German financial help. A frequent concern voiced among West germans is that Many East germans May not be willing to put in the same kind of hard work that made West Germany one of the worlds wealthiest nations. Kohl himself has pointedly told the East germans that it took West Germany four decades to achieve its affluence and that no one should expect miracles. Meanwhile Law officials say they fear West German terrorists May be preparing political attacks in East Germany now that the Border Between the two countries has been opened. East German politicians and West German businessmen could become possible assassination targets by leftist terrorists who oppose capitalism spreading to East Germany two Bonn based newspapers reported from Page 1 that has guided the Alliance during the cold War years. Galvin said he issued the order on wednesday to Pul the new response schedules into effect on july 1. Quot there Are significant changes a he said. The time targets he said Quot relate to opposing forces. The soviets have pulled Back some of their forces from Eastern Europe. The Warsaw pact is not the same by any soviet led Warsaw pact is dead Institute says London apr the soviet led Warsaw pact is dead As a military Alliance and will probably fall apart when East Germany leaves it the International Institute for strategic studies says. The West s main dilemma in the 1990s will be How far to get involved in the a Messy aftermath a the London based research Center said in its annual strategic Survey published thursday. Even without a Clear threat from the East the 16-nation nato Alliance could serve As a an insurance policy for a future undivided Europe but its role needs a Complete redefinition the Survey said. A in Early 1989the key question had been a whither nato a a it said. A a year later that question remains valid. But a second question a whether nato a lies not far below the the Survey said the soviet Union a appears to be sliding toward chaos and How Long and How much of it will remain together Are very much open at a news conference the institutes director Francois Heusbourg said there was no possibility that the seven nation Warsaw pact a could act As a single organization in warlike circumstances where it was the aggressor. A but nato As an insurance policy is indispensable to the extent that the countries of Western Europe and the United states consider they have in common a number of interests alongside a number of values a said Heusbourg. In the past year most of the soviet unions Erst trading from Page 1 Public address on the size and scope of the deficit a when we get a Bush threw an unusual bouquet in the direction of rep. Richard Gephardt the House democratic Leader with whom he has tangled saying Gephardt has done a Good Job in leading the budget negotiations. Bush said he had no new encouragement to offer on the continuing standoff in the soviet Union Between the Kremlin leadership and the breakaway Baltic republics. Gorbachev has pressed economic sanctions against Lithuania. Bush urged Congress on thursday to pass a a Good Strong anti crime Bill a but without the curbs on semiautomatic weapons that were narrowly approved in the Senate on wednesday. A i sent a crime Bill to the Congress and i would like to see it enacted As a Law enforcement Bill a Bush said. The president said thursday that he supports limitations on the number of rounds of ammunition that could be carried in semiautomatic weapon clips but restated his opposition to the ban on the manufacture and importation of nine classes of semiautomatic. A there is no use keeping As Many people snagged right up close on response times unless its absolutely necessary a he said. A with the changes in the East bloc its not quite As but he cautioned that the West could quickly reverse course if the situation deteriorates. A we can tighten them up again if we have to a he said. He said the precise schedules for the new response times were classified but that the reaction time for some ground forces will be doubled. Response time refers to the amount of time it takes a unit of soldiers or an air Crew to get ready and react to an enemy attack. A certain things that were a matter of minutes i could change to hours and things that were hours 1 could while allies in Eastern Europe have overthrown communist governments and Czechoslovakia and Hungary Are pressing soviet troops to get out fast. Heusbourg suggested that Western countries could subsidize the pullout of More than 500,000 soviet troops stationed outside the soviet Union. The largest deployment a 380,000 a is in East Germany which the West wants absorbed into nato As part of a United Germany. He said that at the soonest it would take at least two years to withdraw soviet troops from East Germany if a crash housing program is started now for the returning troops. A How Western states marry their desire to see Progress in Eastern Europe with an equally potent concern not to get entangled in the Messy aftermath of soviet decolonization in Europe will be one of the principle dilemmas of the 1990s,�?� said the report. Heusbourg said soviet president Mikhail s. Gorbachev was still trying both to keep up reforms and to Stop the secession of republics such As Lithuania but would soon have to choose one policy or the other. A it is. A question of weeks or at the most months a he said. He predicted the soviet Empire would fall apart but gave no timetable. A there is no example of a multinational Empire grouped together in circumstances which Are not considered legitimate by All the people surviving. Whether you Are talking about the ottoman Empire the Austro hungarian Empire or the soviet Union a he said. A a let a get a Good Strong anti crime Bill and then we can have a debate about what they want to do Quot on automatic weapons issues said Bush a longtime Mcm Ber of the National Rifle association. A the automatic i weapon part does not have my support. And i wish the Congress would Stop adding matters of this Bush said he was pleased with the prospects for a chemical weapons treaty at the Summit and said the two sides had done a very Well in the last several Days in working toward an agreement to Cut nuclear weapons. At the same time he said much work still remains on a treaty to Cut conventional troops weapons and tanks in Europe. He also singled out the reunification of Germany As a particularly thorny Issue that he and his Summit partner will discuss. Bush wants a unified Germany As a full partner Ini nato a step opposed by the soviet Union. Bush said it was vitally important for him and Gor. Baches to meet. �?�1 done to want to have two ships pass in the night a the soviet Union and the United states. We be got a lot to talk about a he said. Bush said he was especially pleased that he and Gorbachev would have time to talk at Camp David mde a the presidential Retreat that offers a less formal atmosphere than the White House. Change to several More hours and even to Days a he said. All ground and most air forces including helicopters and surface to air missile units in Europe will be affected by the changes he said. There will be no easing of the reaction time for full-1 Alert interceptors which have Only a few minutes no Tice to be in the air to fend off an attack. I a Quick reaction aircraft Are still on the same Alert basis a he said. I he predicted their status would remain unchanged even after a review of the changing military situation inf Europe. A was Long As we have forces we want some Quick reaction capability that is right Down to a matter of mini utes to get airborne a he said. Well under 100 planes he said Are ready to do from Page 1 briefing warns. A do not play games with your surveil lants do not try to lose or Embarrass them. They have the Means and sufficient seemingly Legal reasons to detain you at their in the statement issued last week the command warned that department of defense personnel travelling in East Ger Many should avoid taking pictures or showing undue interest in things connected with the soviet military. A failure to comply with this prohibition could result in arrest or thousands of . Service personnel Are within a two hour drive of the East German and czechoslovakian Borders and relaxed visa requirements make a Quick trip to Eastern Europe a tempting proposition. The Usa eur statement warned however that personnel who fail to get the briefing could be disciplined. Family members also could face a administrative sanctions imposed by the Community commander and possibly a a command directed Early return to the Donna Alfred a Secretary with the military a school system in Firth West Germany recently visited Gera East Germany. She said it took her about 10 minutes to read the briefing in the local Security management office. A a in a sure some people done to even read it a Alfred said adding that she remembers a lot More about the drive through the thu ring Ian Countryside than the briefing. A some think its an extreme hardship it go for a briefing. Instead they just take off not telling their commander a said Charlei Kline a civilian employee in Numberg. H said he believes that people should take Thi time for the briefing. A a commander should know where his troops Are a he said. A besides would like to have people on this Side know. Id like to know just in Case did no to come Back that someone won i put in an
