European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 20, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Saturday october 20,1990. A defense Secretary Dick Cheney examines a Mig-29 aircraft during a tour of a factory Friday in Moscow. Tour leaves Cheney optimistic about reforms in soviet Union Moscow apr defense Secretary Dick Cheney Long sceptical of Mikhail s. Gorbachev a reforms said Friday he was ending a visit to Moscow with a a very positive impression of changes in the soviet military and political system. A if things continue. It will be possible to say that we do not consider the soviets As adversaries a Cheney said at a joint news conference with soviet defense minister marshal Dmitri t. Yazoo. Cheney who met with Gorbachev Yazoo and other top soviet leaders said one sign of the change in soviet policy was the cooperation in the persian Gulf crisis. But he gave no indication that he had sought or secured soviet promises to Sanction or assist possible military action to Force iraqi forces to withdraw from Kuwait. The . Defense Secretary praised soviet cooperation in bringing diplomatic and economic pressure to Bear on Iraq and said a we have not Given up on that policy. A i have also made it Clear. That we have not ruled out other options a said Cheney. He declined to speculate on possible . Military Steps. Yazoo said a if we succeed in solving the conflict with political Means it will be a great  the soviet defense minister hailed superpower military discussions and said a we have never had such Frank talks about deep cuts in our  he also said that with completion of a proposed treaty to slash superpower strategic nuclear arsenals by up to half the soviet Union might reduce its production of rockets by 50 percent As Well. But until such weapons Are eliminated altogether he said the soviet Union will continue to replace about 10 percent of its strategic rocket Force every year to assure that it is in a state of  won t ban smoking on All flights Frankfurt Germany apr Lufthansa has Given up plans to ban smoking on All Domestic nights to avoid confrontations Between smokers and non smokers aboard aircraft the airline said i thursday. The National German Carrier originally had planned to ban smoking on All Domestic flights with the Start of its Winter schedule on oct. 28. Since Federal lawmakers also had decided not to pass non smoking legislation Banning smoking on flights could Lead to a polarization and confrontations among passengers a Lufthansa said. Instead the company will urge passengers to refrain from smoking on Shorter flights Lufthansa said. Cheney asked whether he had seen or heard anything during his visit to alleviate his persistent distrust of soviet intentions said a i am very positive about what we have seen today. A i began As a septic. I have been persuaded by the events of the last 18 months that we Are entering a new Era in .-soviet relations a he said. Cheney in remarks wednesday to the soviet lawmakers said he was worried because the soviet Union was conducting tests on four new ballistic missiles to replace the latest generation. Responding to questions about the turbulent soviet political situation Yazoo repeated his denials of rumours of a possible military coup to curb ethnic and regional unrest. A the armed forces of this country Are part and parcel of our people and will never raise arms against the people a Yazoo said. He declined to clarify conflicting reports about whether nuclear weapons had been removed from tense areas such As the Baltic and caucasian republics but did say that Long Range nuclear forces were stationed Only in Russia byelorussian and the Ukraine. Cheney flew to Paris later Friday for discussions with French counterpart Jean Pierre Cheve nement and president Francois Mitterrand aimed at bolstering cooperation Between the two countries in the Gulf grapple. Cheney was to attend a banquet for Cheve nement on Friday night at the a Cercle inter Allied near the . Embassy. The dinner was to end with toasts to Allied Unity by the two defense chiefs diplomatic sources said. On saturday Cheney and Cheve nement were to give a joint news conference at 4 30 . At the defense ministry. On monday the Pentagon chief will have an audience with Mitterrand at the Elysee Palace before returning to Washington. London up a the ruling conservative party suffered an upset defeat in an election to replace a member of parliament who was killed by the Irish Republican army and polls Friday reflected the party a weakness in the run up to the next general election. David Bellotti a Liberal Democrat was the upset Victor late thursday in the election in Eastbourne a conservative stronghold for 84 years Over conservative Richard Hickmet. Turnout in the election about 50 Miles South of London was estimated at 60 percent. Bellotti gathered 23,415 votes to Hicks Etta a 18,865. Other candidates including labor and Green party candidates gathered 2,861 votes. The parliamentary seat was opened when conservative Ian Gow a close Friend of prime minister Margaret Thatcher was killed by an Ira bomb in july. The stars and stripes a a Page 9de Klerk party to open ranks to All races Johannesburg South Africa up the ruling National party irrevocably ratified a decision to open its ranks to All races Friday after 76 years of exclusively White membership. The party a fourth and last annual provincial Congress in Pretoria confirmed motions passed by this years previous congresses that the nationalists accept All races a another step in president . De Klerks program of racial Reform. A we can now say that All four congresses have finally prepared the National party for the new South Africa a de Klerk said. A the National party and South Africa Are now on the moral High  de Klerk first proposed the party open its ranks at the aug. 31 Congress in Natal noting a Power sharing of necessity implies joint decision making on matters of common interest in joint constitutional  at the opening of the two Day Congress in Transvaal thursday night de Klerk warned the official opposition Ultra rightist conservative party against continuing its passive resistance Campaign. He called such actions a absolutely  foreign minister . Botha on Friday put the motion on opening membership before the Congress during debate on other issues. The motion was unanimously approved by the 1,500 delegates. Party insiders speculate membership will officially be opened by Early next year. The african National Congress and other anti apartheid groups have said Blacks will not join in Large numbers but analysts have noted this would not diminish the significance of the action. The nationalists came to Power in 1948 on a platform of protecting White interests and ensuring White Rule. But de Klerk vowed to bring Power sharing to the country when he launched his racial reforms in february. He has legalized the Black opposition released scores of political prisoners scrapped a key discriminatory Law and promised to abolish the rest. He has also held talks with the Anc opening the Way to further negotiations on sharing Power with other  Leader plans visit to nato Headquarters Brussels Belgium apr romanian prime minister Petre roman will visit nato Headquarters next tuesday to meet with High level officials of the Western military Alliance it has been announced. A nato statement said roman will meet with the organizations Secretary general Manfred Werner before holding informal talks with the ambassadors of the 16 member nations. Romans visit will be part of a series of exchanges that nato has conducted in recent months with officials of East european nations that belong to the Warsaw pact the crumbling Eastern military Alliance. The tories had campaigned hard on a theme of Law and order emphasizing the fight against terrorism. Observers commenting in fridays newspapers said the Surprise Victory for Bellotti indicated a backlash against the Campaign tactics. Also hurting the conservatives was a downturn in the Economy with 10.9 percent inflation the highest since 1982, and an increased number of business failures. Unemployment was 5.8 percent in september. The failure of the ruling party to hold Eastbourne was reflected in polls showing the conservatives had slipped 10 Points behind the labor party in the run up to a general election which must be called by mid-1992. According to a British broadcasting corp. Poll labor is supported by 47 percent of the Public while the conservatives rate 37 percent. The Liberal democrats despite their win in Eastbourne held Only 10 percent of those polled while the Green party garnered 3 percent. Tory upset in English election