European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 12, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 8 a a a the s d stripes saturday january 12,1991 political info was to soviets says by de Reavis stall writer _ a . Government employee arrested this week kept the soviet secret service supplied with political information on West Berlin the Federal prosecutors office said a Friday a a a  a a a a a a a a a a Stephen Launcr 36, is suspected of spying for the soviet Kab committee for state Security from 1977 to Early 1990, said a spokesman for the prosecutors office in Karlsruhe. A in addition to meeting with the Kab five to six times a year Laufer is accused of delivering information on the political mood in the City while working As a Volunteer journalist for various Berlin newspapers a the spokesman said. In 1987, Laufer was a speech writer for Eberhard Diepgen then the Christian democratic lord mayor of West Berlin. At that time Laufer had Access to Diep genes Public appointments As Well As related strategy talks and negotiations the spokesman said. Laufer also is accused of delivering information to the Kab on staff consultations in which he participated in the chancellery of the Berlin Senate. In 1988, Laufer began working for the press Section of the . Mission in Berlin. A the kept the soviets Well informed on the important political events and supplied background material to which he was privy a the spokesman  spokesman said his office is weighing the evidence against Laufer to decide whether he can be released from custody and under what conditions. Opposition mounts on plan to hike German phone rates by Mary Neth staff writer German Consumers politicians and Union members Are working to kill a plan to raise the country a Telephone rates. The proposal for increases of about 5 percent for most customers came tuesday in Bonn during a meeting of the country a governing coalition parties and officials of Tele Kom the Federal Telephone company. Almost immediately the organization of postal users arid the opposition social democratic party began threatening to test the constitutionality of the plan in court. The German postal Union Hopes to strike it Down at Tele Kom level where it must be approved by the company advisory Board. A i can to imagine that this tax of Telephone use will receive the vote of the Lekom a advisory Board a said Emil Bock second chairman of advisory boards for both the postal Union and Tele Kom. Opponents cited two reasons for their opposition a German Telephone fees Are among the highest in Europe. A an increase would Hurt the country in the competitive International communications Field and would be another Barrier to establishing new businesses in Eastern Germany. The higher phone rates were one of 14 suggestions by finance minister Theo Taigel to help pay government unification costs. His plan to charge a fee for Highway use was abandoned because it conflicted with european economic Community Laws. By German Law Tele Kom must turn Over 10 percent of its income to the government Treasury each year. In 1990, that amounted to about $4 billion. After extensive negotiations among the Christian democrats Christian socialists and free democrats  agreed to seek an additional $1.33 billion annually Over the next four years. The agreement came As the three parties worked to form a new governing coalition after december selections. A Tele Kom spokesman said the average German phone Bill of 70 Marks $46 would increase by Only 4 Marks $2.60. Members of the organization of postal users said the proposed increase in Telephone charges is a tax and therefore contrary to the regulations of the european economic Community and German court rulings. A under the court ruling a Concrete service must be offered for every tax imposed a said Wilhelm Hiibner of the organization of postal users. Nes Over 2 Manila Philippines up the United states has agreed to turn Over four Small facilities to the Philippines but is continuing talks to keep the sprawling Clark a and Subic Bay naval facilities when its Basing rights expire in september officials said Friday. Philippine spokesman Rafael Alunan told reporters on the third Day of the fourth round of talks on the future of the facilities the philippine air Force will take Over Wallace air station in the Northern province of la Union beginning sept. 17. . Spokesman Stanley Schrager said wednesday the transmitter station at Camp of Donnell near Clark and the san Miguel communications station near Subic would revert to the Philippines by the end of the month. Foreign Secretary Raul Mang Lapus the chief philippine negotiator also said the United states would give up the Camp John Hay rest and recreation facility in the Mountain resort of Baguio. But discussions were continuing on the future of Subic and Clark which Are manned by some 40,000 troops defense department employees and dependents. Schrager said there was a Forward movement on both defense issues and the status of forces agreement As both sides Endeavor to meet each others  a on the status of forces agreement the United states continues to Endeavor to forge an agreement that is consistent with its worldwide practices at the same time taking into consideration philippine needs and concerns a Schrager said. The United states earlier said it wanted to extend the lease Yallof its six facilities for 10 to 12 years. Hayday for Kulans a three 7-month-old Kulans Chow Down in unison in the Debrecen zoo in Eastern Hungary where they recently were put on display. A rare species the Kulans Are a Cross Between a Donkey and a horse but Are not mules. They Are native to Mongolia and to Kazakhstan in the soviet Union. France refuses to Register baby boy named Saddam Cairo Egypt up a French authorities have refused to Register a baby called Saddam despite protests from its Muslim parents radio Cairo reported Friday. The state owned radio said the baby boy was bom to senegalese parents on Christmas eve but Paris municipal authorities have refused to Register the child. France has sent troops to the persian Gulf to deter aggression by iraqi Leader Saddam Hussein and French authorities believed the use of Saddam no a name was a Dishonour to French troops risking their lives in the Gulf the radio added. Stockholm taxi firm cuts night rates for women Stockholm Sweden apr a taxi company has lowered rates for women travelling alone at night so they can afford not to use subway trains. A we feel sorry for women who have to take the subway late at night a says Benny Melin head of the Stockholm company offering the special Price. A they Are frightened.�?�. A. Stockholm a subway system is clean and Well lit and crime rates Are generally lower than in Many big cities. But women have increasingly complained about the danger of possible attacks by men and about the pres ence of drug users in subway stations. Melin said women travelling alone will get 15 percent off the rates Between 6 30 . And 6 00 . A similar a two Friend a rate was recently begun by a taxi company in Uppsala near Stockholm. A Ford of Britain plans to Cut workforce by 900 London up a Ford motor company a British subsidiary will shed 900 jobs in the next three months out of a workforce of 44,000, a spokesman for Ford of Britain said Friday. A a we re looking to reduce the workforce by 900, and we re looking for volunteers by March a the spokesman said. A a a a a a a the Job losses Are part of Ford of Britain a ongoing policy to reduce its workforce to remain competitive and will be achieved through natural losses Early retirement and voluntary redundancies he said. British Ford has Cut its workforce by 20,000 to 44,000 in the past 20 years through voluntary methods he said. Fords share of the British automobile Market fell by 16.7 percent in 1990, against an Overall Market downturn of 12.7 percent. Excluding imported Fords Ford of Britain a share of the Market fell 18.8 percent last year. Swedish cigarette Cartons to carry tales of death Stockholm Sweden apr drawings of skulls and stories of smokers who died will be printed on cigarette Cartons next year an official of the National Board of health and welfare said thursday. A a it a difficult to transform medical science to intelligible language to make people understand the health hazards of tobacco a Margareta Haglund said. Swedish cigarette packs presently carry a Brief health wanning in Small Type. There is no warning on cigarette Cartons. Haglund said a typical cigarette Carton Story would be a Stefan took his first puff in primary school. At 20 he smoked one package a Day. Twenty years later he still Felt quite healthy. But one afternoon he suddenly collapsed at work. He died before the Day was Over. The reason Infarct heart attack. He was 40 years  35 killed in three Days of violence in Colombia Bogota Colombia apr at least 35 persons have died since wednesday in violence ranging front leftist guerrilla attacks to a massacre near Medellin Home of the worlds most violent cocaine Cartel. Meanwhile the government and a leftist guerrilla group signed a preliminary peace Accord thursday that seeks to end nearly two decades of armed insurrection in Exchange for amnesty. A six Young men were abducted late wednesday from a Highway restaurant in Tagui a few Miles South of Medellin a police report said. A Eph it said their assailants drove the men to an isolated Rural area and shot each in the head. Meanwhile at  22 leftist rebels and seven army soldiers have died in fighting throughout Colombia since wednesday a military statement said Friday