European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 11, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 8 a a a  and stripes Friday january 11,1991 police arrest spy suspect at . Embassy in Berlin Berlin not an official of the . Diplomatic Mission in Berlin was taken into custody tuesday by German police on suspicion of spying for the soviet Union prosecutors said wednesday. The prosecutors released no details of the presumed activities of the official Stephen Laufer 35, nor did they disclose the grounds for his detention. But Many arrests in espionage related cases in recent months have been based on tips from former East German secret agents who have agreed to cooperate with the German authorities in Exchange for leniency. A . Spokesman in Berlin Tony Sariti said in a statement a a yesterday morning the United states embassy office in Berhn was notified by the German authorities that during a criminal investigation Stephen Laufer was detained. Or. Laufer worked for the United states Mission and embassy since january 1988. Until Legal clarification of the Case there will be no further  a spokesman for the prosecutors office in Karlsruhe said Laufer who was born in South Africa of austrian parents and is a naturalized German was suspected of having worked for the Kab the soviet secret service from 1977 until Early last year. He gave no details of the presumed activities. Laufer a former journalist worked from 1984 until 1987 As a speechwriter and close aide to Eberhard Diep Gen who was the Christian democratic mayor of West Berlin from 1984 to 1989. Laufer then joined the . Mission in West Berlin As an information specialist for the . Information  police move came As a particular embarrassment to Diepgen who is in negotiations to form a Christian Democrat led government after his party a Success in the december elections Here. The detention was the latest in a series of espionage arrests and disclosures since the communist government in East Germany collapsed last year. Though Berlin has Long been known As a nest of espionage the arrests have underscored the extent to which the sides watched each other. A a a a a a. A a a a a a a a a a a a. V twisted Metal is All that a left of a soviet tank after its ammunition blew up killing at least 17 soviet soldiers. At least 17 die in tank explosion Prague Czechoslovakia apr at least 17 soldiers died and three others were probably killed when ammunition in a soviet tank exploded at a soviet military base in Northern Czechoslovakia on wednesday. Fifteen servicemen were killed on the spot and two died during surgery at a Hospital in the nearby town of i splice the official news Agency ctr said. A the bodies of three soldiers who were sitting inside the tank at the critical moment have not been found yet Quot it added indicating there was Little Hope they would be found alive. The number of people injured in the blast was not reported. However ctr  three More servicemen were also at the Teplicek surgical Ward but a no longer in critical condition.�?�. Ammunition debris was found 400 Yards from the site of the blast ctr said. No czechoslovak were injured. Ctr said the explosion of live ammunition inside the tank was caused by a defect in the electrical wiring. The Accident occurred shortly before noon at Boho Surdov 62 Miles North of Prague. World today Germany s Oil Bill shows Sharp Rise in past year Berlin apr Germany soil. Bill was running 48 percent higher in november than a year earlier and the country has 130. Days of Oil reserves a government report said thursday. The economics ministry said Germany imported 5.8 million tons of Oil in november the same As a year earlier. But the increase in Oil prices related to the Gulf crisis fat it the total Cost at 2.2 billion Marks about $1.5 billion up 720 million Marks $480 million from november 1989. The ministry also said reserves stood at 130 Days of average consumption and the reserves were not being drawn Down since supplies were constant. The ministry said Germany which has virtually no Oil of its own was receiving 29 percent of its supplies from Britian and Norway with 51 percent coming from members of the organization of Petroleum exporting countries. Detailed statistics showed Germany receiving increased imports from Britain Libya saudi Arabia Norway Nigeria Syria and other countries. Those imports make up from a cutoff of Oil from Iraq and Kuwait whose exports Are banned under . Embargo. A retired Dodds teacher Dies of nerve disease Wiesbaden Germany a amps a a retired English teacher from the military overseas school system died monday in Wisconsin. Beverly e. Neveau 55, died after a Long illness in the Countryside Home in Jefferson wis. Suffering from a degenerative nerve disorder Neveau first was hospitalized in november 1988 and was medically evacuated to Wisconsin in March 1989. She later was medically retired. A a a. A. A a. A v a a a a a. A a Neveau last taught at Frankfurt High school. She started her department of defense dependents schools career in 1967, teaching in Japan South Korea and Germany. She had taught for a number of years in Milwaukee before joining Dodds. Neveau is survived by her father Edgar Neveau of Milwaukee and an aunt Cloe Gibbs of Wauwatosa wis. Donations in lieu of Flowers May be sent to covenant House 460 w. 41st st., new York 10036.Darmstadt Soldier 24, found dead in his Auto Darmstadt Germany a a Darmstadt Soldier was found dead in his automobile wednesday afternoon on a Small Road West of the City a military spokesman said thursday. Spec. Stanley a. Mcarthur was assigned to co a 94th engr in and had been in Germany six months. He a was 24. A a a a a a a. A the time and cause of death have not been determined said it. Col. William Harkey the Darmstadt Public affairs officer. However Mcarthur was not involved in a car Accident Harkey said. Flis car was on a Road not far from a Ernst Ludwig Cavern where he was stationed. He is survived by his wife Tina and four children in Baltimore. A memorial service is planned for 3 30 . Monday at the Ernst Ludwig Cavern Chapel. His death is under  told its demands May Hurt . Ties Manila Philippines Kupij a the United states announced wednesday it will turn Over to the Philippines two communications facilities this month but said philippine demands for an Early withdrawal of . Forces could cause a irreparable harm to bilateral relations. A . Spokesman Stanley Sohrager said the United states was preparing to turn Over to the Philippines communications stations at Capas near the giant Clark a and at san Miguel near the naval facilities at Subic Bay by the end of the month. Camp o Donnel at Capas Kiouses a communications station for . Training flights at the Crow Valley bombing Range. Officials have previously announced they were phasing out the san Miguel facility. The Philippines hosts Clark and Subic a the oldest and largest . Overseas bases a and four smaller facilities under a 147 treaty expiring in september. Some 14,500 troops Are stationed at the facilities. Sohrager told reporters after the opening of the fourth round of talks on the future of the bases the decision covering Capas and san Miguel was made during a review of the four Small facilities. The United states Sohrager said reiterated proposals for a 10 to 12-year Extension of Basing rights and an a Access regime after that period. A a he said philippine demands for the . Withdrawal in five years could Send the wrong message to president Bush and Congress and he read a statement during the negotiations by special . Negotiator Richard Armitage. A was americans prepare to fight and die in the Middle East filipinos define their own Victory in terms of How Many and How quickly . Forces can be removed from their country Quot the statement by Armitage said. A a is this the message the Philippines really intends to Send we Don t think so. But we can assure you that this is exactly the message our political leaders have perceived. We Are afraid that irreparable harm could be done to our relationship a the statement said. It said the United states cannot manage a five year phaseout without incurring huge Cost for removal and relocation. A Congress will find the Money but will not be Happy with an unplanned expense of this magnitude a the statement said. Sohrager reacted sharply to a statement by philippine spokesman Rafael Alunan that it was time for the United states to match rhetoric with action. He said the statement was a a inappropriate and the . Panel was Quot unhappy with it. The fourth round of talks was scheduled to close Friday. The two sides expressed Hopes an agreement could be reached by the end of this month