European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 28, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse Friday december 23. 1990. Quot the stars and stripes. Page 9rejected King Michael flown Home Bucharest Romania not a King Michael the romanian ruler deposed by the communists after world War ii was flown Back to Switzerland on wednesday after being expelled by the romanian government soon after his arrival Here for his first visit in 43 years. The King s deportation came just 12 hours after he1 landed in Bucharest aboard a chartered Jet for what family members called a private Christmas visit to the Graves of his ancestors. The authorities said Michael 69, had failed to obtain permission for his visit. After he was spirited off in a state owned plane the government harshly criticized the exiled King. A it was a cheap stunt Quot said govern Lent spokesman Bogdan Bellazar a the came like a thief lying and physically forcing his Way into the country Quot the King has lived in Switzerland during most of his exile. He returned to his Home near Geneva on wednesday. An opposition umbrella group the civic Alliance wednesday night condemned the expulsion As the Alliance appealed to Romania s parliament to void Michael s abdication and invite him to revisit. Since last year s revolution Michael has announced several times that he would like to return to Romania As is ruler but that it was up to the romanian people to decide. W h Eio. Most romanians seem to look upon the former King As simply a curiosity about 390 demonstrators paraded through Bucharest on wednesday evening shouting a King and fatherland a the ruling National salvation front which contains Manv former members of Romania s now dissolved communist parly took Over the government after the overthrow and exe Eulion of communist dictator Nikolae Ceausescu a year ago. The front won n Large parliamentary majority in elections Las May the government denied the King permission to visit Romania last april saying his presence would have stirred up a already urdu Lent pre election political atmosphere. The King and his wife Princess Ana de Bourbon Par me travelled to Romania with one of their daughters Princess Sophie on danish diplomatic storm Buenos Aires Argentina apr after a month s hesitation and scorching Public criticism president Carlos Menem has reluctantly decided to use a but not keep a a Bright red Ferrari offered As a gift. Citing his respect for the Law Menem told the weekly newsmagazine go Etc that he will leave the car a was property of the nation when his term ends in 1995. The luxury sports car reportedly Worth $100,000, became a political headache and Public relations Nightmare for Menem after it turned up at his official residence nov 20. The avid sportsman and Amateur rally car Driver was initially thrilled by the gift from the italian motorcycle company Ducati me Canica. By his own admission he had no intention of giving it up. A. ,. A ,. A it s mine mine mine a the 60-year-old president said on a nationally broadcast news talk show. Program Host Bernardo Neustadt usually unflappable looked slightly bewildered. Then questions arose about the gifts origin. Early on government spokesmen said it was donated by Piero Ferrari a relative of the famed italian automaker the company responded archly a Ferrari Isnit accustomed to giving Avyay cars to anyone not even a t. It then emerged that Ducati chief g. Franco Castig Lioni was responsible for the gift. He said in an accompanying letter that he Felt honoured by Menem a visit to Rome during the soccer world cup last summer and bestowed the Ferrari 348 to on Menem so that he would remember Italy. Other questions a mostly ethical a kept popping up in newspaper columns Magazine stories radio talk shows and cocktail conversations. How could Menem who is cracking Down on tax evasion accept a personal gift that bypassed customs duties of about $170,000 and arrived apparently free of charge via the state airline Given the presidents denunciation of corrupt officials what kind of example is he setting by receiving a gift Worth several times his annual salary. A Argentine president Carlos Menem leans against the controversial Ferrari he received us a gift last month. How can Menem urge his citizens to tighten their belts amid a recession As severe As any this Century and then not appear to share their sacrifices t a what is at Issue is his reputation for. Political shrewdness a the English language Buenos Aires Herald commented. A this a mine mine mine attitude. Suggests a dangerous Lack of restraint or or a childish Streak or a tragic flaw of some kind a in the Gente interview Menem condemned As a stupid hypocrisy Quot suggestions that he should have immediately donated the car a of the proceeds from its Sale a to Charity. A they Ducati gave it to should people be scandalized a he was quoted As saying. In any event Argentine Law stipulates that any gift Over a certain value belongs to the presidency and must be handed Over on completion of office Menem a touch grudgingly said he will do just that. A but meanwhile in a going to use it myself a he said. Cd 7 by the los Angeles times Long Beach Calif. Mcdonnell Douglas corp. Completed Assembly of its first c-17 cargo Jet just prior to its annual Holiday shutdown a key Milestone in the $30 billion program that clears the Way for the air Force to award a new product Tion contract for four additional aircraft. The company a Douglas aircraft co. Unit finished building the first c-17 Here late Friday meeting the air forces schedule for the event but missing by one month its accelerated internal schedule. The first of the planes is scheduled to Fly in june the air Force would receive its first delivery a year later. Mcdonnell has met most of the c-17 s scheduled milestones during 1990, even though some officials Are worried that those guideposts Are not reflecting the True Progress of the program. A recent air Force study estimated that Douglas would overrun its current cd 17 contracts and sustain a loss of about $600 million. The company has disputed the air Force estimate saying that it would not sustain a loss on its current contracts. The completion of the first c-17, which is designed to transport Large military payloads to the front lines of Battle was some much heeded Good news for me Donnell Douglas. Under an agreement with the air Force the company could not receive funding under its fiscal 1990 contract until it completed Assembly of the first c-17. The air Force and the company signed an agreement lust june defining exactly what was meant by completion of assent by. The agreement required that All of the aircraft Structure flight control surfaces electrical system Hydraulic lines and engines had to be installed. To warm up Minneapolis Apas frigid weather swept the country around christmastime Minneapolis was minus 24 that scars not degrees. Police taljied�?~24 reports of cars stolen while the owners left them running so the engines could warm up. One of them was Jeffrey persons whose 1979 Dodge Colt was purloined sunday when temperatures dipped to 20 below in the twin cities. A i blame the cold weather for my stolen car a persons said wednesday. A right now id like to move persons 22, said he went outside to Start his car and when. It started he returned to the warmth of his apartment. A a a a a five minutes later persons watched from his window us two men darted into his ear and drove off. By the time he got to the Street the ear was a Block . A a this always happens in the cold weather a said la. Robert Vanusek head of the police departments Auto theft unit. A people Start the car leave it running and then some nitwit jumps in there and drives Locking the car does no to solve the problem Vanusek said in about a third of he 24 to ses reported during the Holiday period doors were locked he said. A off you re going to warm up the car Quot he said a put on some heavy clothes and sit there a
