European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 1, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse Tuesday wednesday january 1/2, 1991 the stars and strides Page 9for germans. 1990 was a blockbuster Germany it was an epoch year for the German people. They started 1990 with two nations and ended it with one. Here Are some highlights Quot 1 Jan. 1 r Lothar de Maiziere chairman of East Germany a Christian democratic Union the Center right group affiliated with the West German political party of the same name describes the a fusion of the two Ger a Man states As a a political goal of the highest Jan. 7 a tens of thousands of East and West germans create a Border straddling human Chain to sym Bolicz a the Bonds that embrace people on both sides of the Jan. 29 a Erich Horn Ecker ailing former Secretary general of East Germany a communist party is taken into investigative custody following his release from the Hospital. Feb. 5 a a a government of National respond Sibih Tyr is formed in East Berlin. The Volks Kamrer or parliament elects members of opposition parties and associations to the Council of state As ministers without portfolio. Fcb.-7 by West Germany announces its willingness to a enter immediately into negotiations with East Germany on monetary Union and economic Reform. Feb. 10 a West Gurmal Chancellor Helmut Kohl meets with soviet Leader Mikhail Gorbachev in Moscow and Latey reports that the soviet Union will not interfere with German unification. Feb. 13 a in Bonn East and West Germany agree to establish a commission of experts to prepare a monetary Union and an economic Community. At the a open skies conference in Onawa. The two Ger Many agree to negotiate with the United states the soviet Union the United kingdom and France on the external aspects of the unification. This is to be called the 2-plus-4 talks. March 9 a Chancellor Kohl in a Campaign speech to 130,000 in Rostock Calls for speedy monetary Union. March 14 a during his final Campaign appearance in East Germany before the Volk Skammer elections Kohl Renews his commitment to the permanence of the Western Border of Poland. In Bonn the 2-plus-4 participants say they will Welcome polish negotiators when the Issue of Poland a Western Border comes up for discussion March 18 a the first free elections for East Germany a vol Skammer result in a voter turnout of 93.38 percent. The cd is the big Winner with 163 seats. The Alliance for Germany consisting of the cd and two smaller parties barely misses an absolute majority and offers coalition talks with the More Liberal social democratic party and the free democrats. Quot March 20 a the number of East germans seeking residence in yest Germany Falls off dramatically following the Volk Skammer elections. In be a tourist sits amid the ruins of the Berlin Wall this past summer near the former checkpoint Charlie. April 12 a the Volk Skammer elects de Maiziere to head the coalition government. In a joint declaration the vol Skammer on behalf of the East German people accepts co responsibility for the crimes of the nazis. April 23 a West Germany proposes monetary Union with a Mark conversion rate of one to one for wages and salaries pension payment and Cash and deposited savings up to 4,00 1 Marks per capita. April 24 a Chancellor Kohl and prime minister de Maiziere agree in Bonn that the economic monetary and social Union will take effect at the beginning of july. The first round of negotiations on a unification treaty begins three Days Dater in Sast Berlin. Y a a april 27-28 a East Germany announces that 40,000 East germans convicted of political crimes Are to be exonerated Over the next several weeks. It Oberlin the demolition of the Wall begins at the Brandenburg Gate. May 5 a a in Bonn the 2-plus-4 talks begin. May Fri in the first free local elections in East Germany the cd takes 30.38 percent of the counted ballots the spa 21.01 percent and the party of democratic socialism. East Germany a former communists 13.% percent. The a free democrats receive 6.34 percent. Voter turnout is 74.96 percent. June 1 a foreign ministers of the two Ger Many announce they will seek nato membership for All of Germany while at the same time keeping the soviet unions Security interests in mind. June 8�? Kohl and president Bush underscore in Washington that full membership of a United Germany in nato is indispensable. June 13 a in Berlin the final demolition begins on the. 29-mile-Long Wall which is to be gone by december. Only four segments Are to remain As memorials. July 1 a the Deutsche Mark is introduced into East Germany which also adopts the main economic and social legislation of West Germany. Identification checks at the inner German Border cease and the resettlement support system for East germans ends. July 14-16 a Kohl travels to the soviet Union and achieves agreement that a unified Germany will receive full sovereignty choose its alliances freely and reduce its armed forces to 370,000 soldiers. The soviets say they will withdraw their armed forces from East Germany in three to four years. July 17 a a in p Aris the 2-plus-4 ministers and the polish foreign minister agree to tie Borders of a unified Germany. The parties agree to Complete a document governing Alt issues of German sovereignty in time for the november meeting of the european conference on Security and cooperation. July-26 a Erich Mielke former head of East Germany a hated secret police is arrested. He is charged with supporting red terrorists and plan Ning the establishment of internal detention Camps. Aug. 31 a in East Berlin officials of the two Ger Many sign the unification treaty setting the terms anti conditions of the merger. ,. Sept. 12 a the 2-plus-4 documents on German sovereignty Are signed. They stipulate that the four Allied Powers will suspend their rights and responsibilities for Berlin and All of Germany on the Day of unification. Oct. 1-2 a the United states a Britain trance and the soviet Union sign a document in new York relinquishing their rights and responsibilities stemming from the world War ii Triumph Over hitlers Gen oct. 3 Mph Over t titter s Jermany. A Nee with article 23 of the West German Basic Law of Mayzo 1949, East Germany joins West live regions of Mecklenburg Vor Pommert Brandenburg Sachsen Anhalt Thuringer and Sachsen become states of West Germany. Unification is official r. Dec. 12 i i Section of the All German bundestag leaves Chancellor Helmut Kohl and his coalition government in Power in the new undivided Germany. A a a a a a a a a a a a a it us Aviemore German firms suspected of aiding Iraq a a Bonn Germany apr As world leaders debate Saddam Hussein a nuclear potential the list of German companies alleged to have helped him Advance iraqis atomic technology grows. _ at least 100 German companies Are suspected of helping Iraq develop its unconventional weapons capability sources say wont say How Many of those Are being investigated for suspected nuclear technology exports. The newsmagazine Der Spieger said a several dozen european companies were implicated and listed six. German companies with some reported connection to iraqis weapons program. A i would not like to be George Bush and going to bed tonight with the uncertainty Over whether Iraq has a nuclear bomb said Kenneth Timmerman editor of the Paris based Middle East defense news. A a a Spiegel and the specialized Mcgraw Hill publication nuclear fuel both alleged that German companies Are a Quot us petted of supplying Iraq with sophisticated technology to make weapons Grade uranium. \. The companies and individuals named in the reports deny any wrongdoing. It is not Clear How far along Iraq might be toward making a nuclear bomb. The British newspaper the sunday times reported last month that Iraq might be Only a year away from the goal. But a major source for its report Bruno Stegmier denied the papers time Frame in an interview thursday. He said based on a 1988 visit to Iraq the country was at least five years from building a Centrifuge that could make enriched uranium. It would then take several More years before a series of centrifuges called cascades could come on line. At least 1,000 cascades Are needed for bomb production. V a Spiegel predicted it would be eight to 10 years before Iraq could build a bomb. A Iraq is acquiring enrichment technology a a German official said on condition of anonymity. A a it a not believed that Iraq is now producing highly Ehrie hed uranium in significant quantities a. But he. Said without elaborating a you cannot exclude that they Are doing something. On an experimental the official with Access to intelligence data said Iraq could be from two to seven years away from an atomic weapon. _ Timmerman however who chronicled iraqis acquisition of Poison Gas in a Book said Friday that information he a received a is so disturbing and the extent of delivery to Iraq from Germany Anil other places would so great that i would not feel Safe saying that raq does not have a Bond g nuclear fuel has cited a secret government report it obtained last fall from the economics ministry which monitors Export regulations. The report says German Centrifuge design May have been provided to Iraa by two engineers who formerly _ worked for a German Centrifuge design company Man technologies Gumbl 1, it quoted a source who attended a secret briefing on the report jus saying economics minister Helmut Haussmann a told us that Centrifuge equipment sent to Iraq was in addition officials have confirmed that customs officer Hast summer intercepted a German shipment of Centrifuge parts at Frankfurt International Airport bound for Iraq. A a 13 the International atomic Energy Agency reviewed iraqis declared nuclear facilities in november under the terms of the nuclear , of which Afaq is one of-141 signatories. The Agency said it found nothing unexpected. So far Only one arrest has been reported in the scandal. I he director of a Bonn based weapons supplier remains under investigation for alleged Export violations officials say. U. Companies in other countries including the United states Britain Switzerland and Brazil have also been named in connection with suspected iraqi nuclear development. A As allegations Mou it against German companies so. Docs frustration in Wash. . A we know what the germans Are up to a said a Striate source on condition of anonymity. A a there is Only an argument Over How Long it takes before he gets the bomb a he said referring to iraqis Saddam. German officials Teny they Are being lax. But one source in Germany sinner Circle said a have you seen tie Harbor in. Hamburg you just can to control every a a. Lutz Stavenhagen Chancellor Helmut Kohl s top intelligence adviser hasmig"1 tested letting the. Country a counter espionage unit investigate suspected Export violations. But the proposal is Likely to meet with Strong resistance in a country that remembers nazi Germany a police slate. / v
