European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 18, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 2 the stars and stripes saturday August 18,1990 Oil embargo on Iraq hits East bloc hard  Brussels Bureau Brussels Belgium the Oil embargo on Iraq shaving a disastrous economic effect on the new demo cratic governments of Eastern Europe according to an assessment received by nato officials thursday. Nato officials Are concerned that situation could prove destabilizing to those countries which Only recently overthrew old communist governments. 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 a nato source said. Iraq has been using Oil to pay off its debts to easter european countries which traded with Iraq during the nearly nine year Iran Iraq War according to a nato source familiar with the assessment. But . Economic sanctions imposed after Iraq invaded 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. That was the Only Way Iraq could pay. Debts from food and equipment supplied by Eastern euro Pean countries during the Iran Iraq War 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 the 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 lost a source of Revenue Aswell As a source of Oil. Nato analysts also indicated that the economic sanctions Are beginning to have some effect on Iraq the source said. But they believe it will take a sustained Effort Over several months for the sanctions Mohave a serious effect because Iraq has stockpiled food and other resources he said. The nato analysts also reported that the 16-Mem Ber Western Alliance has been in Complete compliance with the . Economic sanctions. News update Yosemite Park fires Yosemite National Park Calif. A firefighters have nearly contained the blazes that closed Yosemite Park for the first time in its 100-year 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 Fri Day but the popular Yosemite Valley won t open until after the weekend. The reason for the closure unti monday is we have fires burning snags and falling rocks said Janet Buzzini a spokeswoman for the . Forest service. New child care fees won t Start before october 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 atthe 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 child care officials have not yet set a Date Forcenter to Start charging the new fees but say it will not be before fiscal 1991 starts. The rates based on total family in come were worked out by department of defense staff to ensure that the cos for child care would not exceed 8 percent of a family s income said Bonni storm Usa eur child development services program manager. The defense department ordered the rates changed based on the military child care act of 1989. The weekly fee ranges by salary Are up to $27,000 $31 to $41. From $2t,q01 to �42,000 $42 to$52. From $42,001 to $59,000 $53 to$63. Over $59,000 $64 to $74. Child care patrons will be asked to Showa 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 rates within the various fee ranges and subsidize child care Cost with other funds. Studies done in three test communities in Europe showed varying results she said. One Community reported Small increase in Revenue from the fees another reported a decrease and a third estimated no significant change. Child development programs Are no income generators storm said and most centers in Usa eur operate at Small deficit that is covered by profits from income generating activities Suchias clubs Bowling alleys  in fact Community morale welfare an recreation funds helped pay for salary in creases in april for 1,300 non  workers. The raises which averaged $ 1.20 an hour Cost Usa eur about $2.4million for fiscal 1990. The raises also resulted from novem Ber s military child care act in which Law makers said child care workers should receive 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. Elections 90 Washington 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 Pri Mary and the nov. 6 general election. The new ballots permit Oklahoma residents to vote by writing in the names of specific candidates the names of those whom the voters prefer or in the Case of a general election the party 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 state primary a later special write in bal lot would be considered void officials said. Service members government employees and their family members who Are Oklahoma residents should Contact their unit voting officers for further information. Correction an article in yesterday s editions incorrectly reported the charges on which stall sgt. Donald w. Mclaren was  was found guilty of the rape and attempted rape of one of his two step daughters. He was found guilty of sodomy and indecent acts with both stepchildren. Military travellers missed soviet tour because of change in visa policy by the stars and stripes several service members were prevented from touring the soviet Union recently because visa regulations were changed unexpectedly an official with top tour said. The Agency was unaware of the Chang and therefore there was not enough time for the soviets to process the visa applications the spokesman said. Apparently what has happened the soviet consulate needs to get visa applications at a print 10 Days to two week prior to entry into the soviet Union he said. That particular time Frame was one we were not aware  the applications for military member Snow must be sent to Moscow for approval which takes additional time he said. Therefore about eight visa application were not returned in time for the tour which began aug. 5. There was insufficient time to get clearance from Moscow for the military personnel the official said wednesday. Previously the applications we returned Over to the consulate Only a few Days before departure in order to allow customers More time to Book the tour. All of the visas have to go in at onetime he said so even people who signed up Early May have lost their Hance to visit the soviet Union on this particular trip. The Agency spokesman said the visa application asks for a person s occupation and employer. If an applicant . Army or some other service Branch that caused a delay. It s possible to write . 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 Al though there is no regulation covering it. If they work for the army that s who they should say they work for said Rosie Bailey an administrative assistant for the consulate s personnel director. If they Are going on a tour they should Bevery  travel agencies will now have to con Sider this new policy when booking Tours to the soviet Union the top Tours spokesman said. Customers will have a earlier deadline in which to sign up Tor such Tours. Engineer s error caused Russel sheim crash Darmstadt West Germany is investigators have found that an Engi Neer s error caused a february train Colli Sion that killed 17 people in Russel sheim and triggered a spontaneous Rescue Effort by . Soldiers. Herbert Spohn a spokesman for the District attorney s office in Darmstadt said thursday that a 163-Page report found that All warning signals were imperfect working order on feb. 2, the Day of the crash. According to the exports the 22-year-old commuter train Engineer Over looked a Stop Light while in route from Russel sheim to Frankfurt causing the crash with another train Spohn said. Experts first assumed the Engineer Sline 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 Engi Neer survived the Accident. Among the first rescuers at the crash site were members of the 106th trans in stationed at a Bill Barracks across the Street from the crash site. Town mayor Norbert Winterstein honoured the 86 americans involved in the Rescue and said the soldiers deeds did More to strengthen German Ameri can relations than diplomats had everyone. Seventeen soldiers were nominated to the Soldier s medal and 35 soldiers for the meritorious service medal for their roles in the Rescue. The medal nominations Are still await ing approval from the department of the army and 21st theater army area come a spokeswoman for the Man military Community said thursday