European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 21, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 2 \ the stars and stripes saturday july 21,1990 my up soviet concessions show East West by David Tarrant Brussels Bureau Brussels Belgium a in a single week nato has won membership for a United Germany and opened its doors to Welcome ambassadors from the soviet Union and the Warsaw pact. Arms dealers Are being replaced in rapid order by peace emissaries in a new race to prepare agreements for political economic and military cooperation Between file former cold War adversaries or Eastern and Western Europe. The velvet revolution the name Given to the peaceful toppling of communist governments in the soviet bloc still has some obstacles ahead before a Complete transformation to democratic principles is achieved analysts and diplomats said. But the decision by the soviets this week to allow a unified Germany to join nato underscores the fact that East and West have begun moving in the same direction these observers said. That decision which in a single stroke changed Europe a political and military balance came about partly because of a very narrow a window of Opportunity provided to Gorbachev several officials at nato said. A. A a 9 that Opportunity resulted from two remarkable events which occurred simultaneously. The first was the Stormy communist party Congress m Moscow and the second was the historic nato Summit in London marked by genuine Unity and eur Jamoria. The two gatherings could not have been More different. But in the end the outcome of both events became interwoven with each other. Nato leaders needed to see whether Gorbachev would survive the soviet communist party a most important meeting in its history and emerge in a Strong enough position to make a Deal allowing German membership in nato. Meanwhile Gorbachev needed a significant and Strong signal from nato that it would change its Structure in fundamental ways that would assure the soviets of their Security needs. On july 6 nato came out with its dramatic proposals to restructure the Alliance. The proposals included reducing natos Reliance on nuclear weapons. Those plans received a warm Welcome a of the soviets and the other Warsaw pact countries. And four Days later Gorbachev was re elected overwhelmingly Tsi. The communist party a to Post that of general Secretary. It a it Quot a a. By that time West genre a Chancellor Helmut Kohl and nato Secretary general Manfred Wisner arrived in Mateow Ign weekend both Gorbachev and the Western Flig Ere ready to act. A we had always amp a. That until that was Over and the internal Aaan gement within the party had been established a fat it would not be possible to reach an agr agent. That was Hiel Ltd or. Gorbachev came analysis through very strongly and 1 think that was a key Point William Howard Taft in the . Ambassador to nato said thursday. Soviet leadership meanwhile had said for months that the Only Way the soviet Union could accept a. Unified Germany in nato was if the character of the Western Alliance As they viewed it was changed. A i think we showed them and they were convinced by the London Summit that we were changing in critical operational terms. While we would argue that we be always been a defensive Alliance and not a threat to anybody i think they finally came to that same View Taft said. A this new posture underscored by the presence of All of our Heads of state of government signing on to the declaration made the unification of Germany and its presence in nato acceptable a he said. Some analysts believe the soviets finally gave in on Germany simply because they had achieved everything they wanted. In the Alliatta be a continued vitality and ability to con Bute seau Itic id to continue the protecting of it Freedom he said. A a i think they were very shrewd a a senior nato military official said. A Gorbachev basically played his hand with nothing in the by stalling Gorbachev was Able to secure the Promise of economic Aid from West Germany and the transformation of nato to an Alliance More politically acceptable to the soviets this official said. A i think he a done remarkably Well but i also think its an agreement that we Al can live nato ambassadors reacted warmly wednesday when they were briefed on last weekends Kohl Gorba Chev meeting Taft amp id., a there was essentially a recognition that one of our Mutual objective not just of this year but of Many years was Tang Chick to the unification of Germany. And to this was being done in a Way that was assuring a Trot out the flare still some Clouds on the horizon. Natos main concerti now shifts almost totally to achieving a conventional arms Accord in Vienna Austria. But Progress is still slow. Natos Success also could make it harder to persuade the Public of the need to continue to maintain a military presence including . Forces in Europe tand particularly in Germany. Taft said he thinks that the arms control talks can meet the Public desire to lower forces. A a uni id of our forces will be removed As a results of the Curreri troied of talks. A a we be then endorsed another round addressing manpower in Europe and far reaching reductions on both sides a he said. A i think most people who Foo a it see that we Are coming Down and our intention is to come Down As much As we can a in balance. A i done to see a desire Here the Europe or a desire in the Congress to eliminate the ., troop presence Here. I think there a a consensus in favor and this is clearly the Case in Europe of a continued presence of some substantial 38th tac fissile Wing to inactivate aug. 22 Wosch Heim c Jepth cruise missile unit in Central Europe Germany the Only i air station West 31th tac missile w remain a ground launch the will inactivate aujg.2, it was announced thursday. V the Wosch Cini unit along with Glam wings at Raf Greenham common in England and Comiso air station in Italy must be inactivated by May 31, 1991, under the intermediate Range nuclear forces treaty with the soviet Union. Three other wings have already been shut Down under the treaty. A ceremony will be held at 2 . Aug. 22 at Wilsch Heim air station. Officers wife Dies of heart failure in Turkey Ankara air station Turkey a a military family member died of heart failure in a local Hospital. Judi fair 39, died june 29. She was Active in protestant women of the Chapel the officers wives club Ankara swim team roosters club and the Ankara Parent teacher student association. She was Bora in Alamogordo . She is survived by her husband it. Col. Mike fair of Fra co the . Logistics group two daughters Karen 15, and Amy 9 two sons David 14, and Brian 7 her parents retired air Force chief master a it. And mrs. John l. Lucero and five Brothers. Russian author Dies Moscow a Valentin Pikul a controversial work included novels on the downfall of the russian Royalty and the influence wielded by the Monk Grigori Rasputin Over the family of Czar Nicholas ii died tuesday at age 62. Summer in by of Rcd a temporary living dumpsters Taylor Munici of Curtan Chi Emsee West Otmany a the buildings look so much Tjw dumpster that even the garbage collectors mistake them never realizing they ally Are temporary living quarters for-3 4 employees of the armed forces recce station Center. A every thursday they come around and Knock on the door a says James Guiou a 19-year-old resident from bad sibling. Once they discover the mistake the garbage collectors say they did no to realize anyone lived there and that they Are sorry. A so Are we a the residents always say according to Guiou. The living quarters referred to As Moon base or the garbage bins by arc employees were set up by the hotel Chain for employees Given jobs under its summer hire program. Measuring 8 feet by 20 feet each of the six boxes houses four people. And whip they have electricity there a no running water. Residents of bins must use bathrooms and showers in nearby dorms or at the Campground facility. They be complained to management about the cramped conditions. Arc workers staying in the on site employee dormitory Are required to Ray 52 Marks a month for housing but Loon base quarters Are free. Some employees were surprised by the living arrangements while others were not. Matt Sandoval the son of a retired air Force master sergeant in Wei Brincken knew what he was getting into before he was hired in june. Sandoval said the Orange containers Are temporary quarters. A there just Isnit enough room a for All the employees he said. While the limited quarters might be temporary and a a won to loll us a As Guiou put it some residents Aren t too Happy. A a it a ridiculous a said Christin Mcghee 19, from Ramstein where he father serves in the air Force. She said the quarters Are so close that when one Pehon gets sick they All get sick. A they said it would be temporary but we be up living Here for a month and a half a Mcgee said. A the housing sat what it should be at the moment a acknowledged Rich Gorman arc hit see general manager. A for the meet part it sett Best i can do but Fra no Happy with poom shortage is a direct result of a Lack of available employee within commuting distance. That has forced arc to hire More people who Bye outside the local area for the first Tima. United including some states. From the housing in the area is not affordable and a it Falls to us to provide it a Gorman said. A we have More people who need housing than we can Gorman said that he has submitted plans to build another dormitory but getting it through the system takes time. Guest hotel rooms Are 100 percent booked for the rest of the summer so they re not available for employees he said. A a we re doing everything we can to solve the problem a said arc spokesman Harry Connors who also blamed the crunch on the local labor shortage. While most employees seem to accept the situation As Only temporary two of the stateside hires were so Dis grunted they quit thursday even though their transportation contracts Aren t up until december one of those is Amanda summer 19, of Boulder Colo. She said that arc recruiters in the United states misrepresented the situation telling her the accommodations were dormitory style with kitchenettes and two people per room. She has been living in a dormitory with three roommates no Kitchen facilities and a bathroom Down the Hall. The other stateside hire who quit was one of Summers roommates in the dorm noting that this is the first year that arc has had to recruit employees from the United states summer said a i Hope that they handle it differently next Gorman agreed. A a it san unfortunate situation a he said. A i done to know who did that misrepresented the accommodation but i suspect its a looseness of he said that some employees were told that the rooms had kitchenettes a but we be be vhf had that but for the most part there Are benefits that outweigh the poor living facilities such As free use of the recreational activities at the resort area most employees said. They also get discount meals lunch and dinner for less than s 1.90 each and breakfast for just Over $1. Gorman who said he a spent More than $500,000 on employee facilities in the last year said a we need to take care of our employees. I just wish we could do it
