European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 17, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 2 a a a the stars and stripes Friday August 17,1990 embargo on Iraq hits East by David Tarrant Brussels Bureau. Brussels Belgium a the Oil embargo on Iraq is having a disastrous economic effect on the new democratic governments of Eastern Europe according to an assessment received by nato officials thursday. Nato officials arc enc Rcd that situation could prove destabilizing to those countries which Only recently overthrew old communist governments. A it s Clear that the Alliance which is looking for stability in Eastern Europe is going to be concerned about this kind of destabilizing effect on Eastern Europe Quot a nato source said. Iraq has been using Oil to pay off its debts to Eastern european countries which traded with Iraq during the nearly nine year Iran Iraq War according to a a to source familiar with the assessment. But . Economic sanctions imposed after Iraq to Vadd neighbouring Kuwait aug. 2, have virtually shut Down All iraqi Oil exports. Iraq left with huge debts and virtually no hard currency after its War with Iran has no other Means of paying its debts to Eastern Europe. A that was the Only Way Iraq could pay. Debts from food and equipment supplied by Eastern european countries during the Iran Iraq War a a he said. Other factors Are also aggravating the situation in Eastern Europe. As of Jan. 1, 1990, the soviet Union began charging hard currency to its Eastern european neighbors for its Oil exports. Even if the Eastern european countries wanted to increase their Oil imports from the soviet Union it is Uncertain whether the soviets can expand their Oil production to meet the demand the source said. Bulgaria is the hardest hit by the Oil embargo Juhe source said. At current Oil prices of about $25 per barrel Bulgaria s Oil import Bill for the next year will exceed the total value of All its exports. Poland is also heavily affected by the Oil embargo the source said. Of the nato nations Turkey is the most affected by the Oil embargo the source said. When Turkey shut off its pipeline with Iraq it Tost a source of Revenue As Well As a source of Oil. Nato analysts also indicated that the economic sanctions Are beginning to have some effect on Iraq the source said. A but they believe it will take a sustained Effort Over several months for the sanctions to have a serious effect a a because Iraq has stockpiled food and other resources he said. The nato analysts also ref red that the 16-member Western Alliance has been in Complete compliance with the . Economic sanctions. News update Yosemite Park fires Yosemite National Park Calif. Apr firefighters have nearly contained the blazes that closed Yosemite Park for the first Lime in its 100-Ycar history and its most popular Section could be open by monday officials say. The fires have burned about 34 Square Miles of the Park Over the past week. Overall in California about 1,300 wildfires have burned More than 400 Square Miles since aug. 3. Hundreds of Forest and Range fires also burned in Alaska Arizona Idaho Wyoming Montana Oregon and Washington state. Three big fires that closed the Park to visitors aug. 9 should be contained by Friday night officials said. They said a Highway through the Park will reopen Friday but the popular Yosemite Valley won t open until after the weekend. A the reason for the closure until monday is we have fires burning snags and falling rocks Quot said Janet Buzzini a spokeswoman for the . Forest  �?T9 Washington a voting officials have announced a new Absentee voting option for residents of Oklahoma Oklahoma Absentee voters May now request a special write in ballot for the aug. 28 primary the sept. 18 Runoff primary and the nov. 6 general election. The new ballots permit Oklahoma residents to vote by w rating in the names of specific candidates the names of those whom the voters prefer or in the Case of a general election the parly preference for each office. Voters cannot use both a regular Absentee ballot and the special write in form. If a voter has already submitted a regular Absentee ballot for the upcoming stale primary a later special write in ballot would be considered void officials said. Sen ice members government employees and their family members who Are Oklahoma residents should Contact their unit voting officers for further information. New child care fees wont Start Usa eur says by Rosemary Sawyer staff writer new income based fees for child care will not begin at army centers in Europe before oct 1, Usa eur officials said thursday. The new fees will replace Flat rates at the centers. The floating scale is designed to make child care More affordable to people in lower income brackets. Air Force centers in Europe introduced the rate scale aug. 6. Army childcare officials have not yet set a Date for centers to Start charging the new fees but say it will not be before fiscal 1991 starts. A the rates based on total family income were worked out by department of defense staff to ensure that the Cost for child care would not exceed 8 percent of a family s income a said Bonnie storm Usa eur child development services program manager. The defense department ordered the rates changed based on the military child care act of 1989, 1 the weekly fee ranges by salary arc a up to $27,000 a $31 to $41. A from $27,001 to $42,000 a $42 to $52. A. A. A from $42,001 to $59,000 a $53 to $63. A from $59,001 and More a $64 to $74, child care patrons will be asked to show a copy of their latest internal Revenue service 1040 forms to verify their incomes. Storm was unable to say How the new rates would affect the total income of the individual centers because local com Manders can set Rales within the various fee ranges and subsidize child care costs with other funds. Studies done in three test communities in Europe showed varying results she said. One Community reported a Small increase in Revenue from the fees another reported a decrease and a third estimated no significant change. A child development programs arc not income generators storm said a and most centers in Usa eur operate at a Small deficit that is covered by profits from income generating activities such As clubs Bowling alleys Etc a in fact Community morale welfare and recreation funds helped pay for salary increases in april for 1,300 non approx plated fund workers. The raises which averaged $ 1.20 an hour Cost Usa eur about $2.4 million for fiscal 1990. The raises also resulted from november a military child care act in which lawmakers said child care workers should re chive pay consistent with people of similar training education and experience. Next fiscal year the command plans to partially fund the raises by converting some non appropriated fund positions to appropriated fund thereby freeing up Naf dollars for the raises. Soviet tour military because of change in visa policy by the stars and stripes several Scricc members were prevented from touring the soviet Union recently because visa regulations were changed unexpectedly an official with top Tours said. The Agency was unaware of the change and therefore there was not enough time for the soviets to process the visa applications the spokesman said. A apparently what has happened the soviet consulate needs to get visa applications at a Point 10 Days to two weeks prior to entry into the soviet Union Quot he said. Quot that particular time Frame was one we were not aware  the applications for military members now must be sent to Moscow for approval which takes additional time he said. Therefore about eight visa applications were not returned in time for the tour which began aug. 5. Quot there was insufficient time to get clearance from Moscow for the military personnel Quot the official said wednesday. Previously the applications were turned Over to the consulate Only a few Days before departure in order to allow customers More time to Book the tour. A fall of the visas have to go in at one time a he said so even people who signed up Early May have lost their Chance to visit the soviet Union on this particular trip. The Agency spokesman said the visa application asks for a persons occupation and employer. If an applicant wrote . Arney or some other service Branch that caused a delay. Its possible to Wale . Government and avoid the scrutiny from Moscow he said however an official at the . Consulate in Frankfurt advised people to be honest when filling out applications although there is no regulation covering it. Quot if they work for the army that s who they should say they work for Quot said Rosie Bailey an administrative assistant for the consulate s personnel director. Quot it they Are going on a tour they should be very  travel agencies will now have to consider this new policy when booking Tours to the soviet Union the lop Tours spokesman said. Customers will have an earlier deadline in which to sign up for such hours. Engineers error caused Russel sheim crash correction an article in wednesdays editions incorrectly reported the charges on which stall Quot sol. Donald w. Mclurin was convicted. Mclaren was found guilty of the rape and attempted ulv Ozone of his two stepdaughters. He  1 Hind guilty of sodomy and indecent acts w ill hot Leix i Kivin. Darmstadt West Germany a amps a investigators have found that an engineers error caused a february train collision that killed 17 people in Russel sheim and triggered a spontaneous Rescue Effort by . Soldiers. Herbert Spohn a spokesman for the District attorneys office in Darmstadt said thursday that a 163-Page report found that ail warning signals were in perfect working order on feb. 2, the Day of the crash. A according to the experts the 22-Vcar-old commuter train Engineer overlooked a Stop Light while in route from Russel sheim to Frankfurt causing the crash with another train Quot Spohn said. Experts first assumed the engineers line of vision to the Stop Light had been blocked but this proved to be false he said. Spohn said his office has not decided whether it will bring charges in the crash which also injured 143 people. The Engineer survived the Accident. Among the first rescuers at the crash site were members of the 106th trans in stationed at Arbili Barracks across the Street from the crash site. Town mayor Norbert Winterstern honoured the 86 americans invoked in the Rescue and said the soldiers deeds did More to strengthen German Amert can relations than diplomats had Ever done. Seventeen soldiers were nominated Tor the soldiers medal and 35 soldiers Lor the meritorious service medal Lor their roles in the Rescue. The medal nominations Are still ing approval from the department of army and 21st theater army omd a spokeswoman for the Mainz i it i 1 u l re in i Nitro Tunis