European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 18, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse Friday january 18, 1991 the stars and stripes a a Page 15anti-Bias Law urged for firms abroad at stake Washington apr the Bush administration on thursday urged the supreme court to apply a key anti discrimination Law to american citizens working overseas for . Businesses. Quot but a lawyer for a major Oil company said the Justice department is misreading the statute. A foreign employers Are bound by our Laws Here a said Paul. Friedman an attorney for arabian american Oil co. Aramco. A Why we be bound by theirs when we Are guests there a solicitor general Kenneth Starr the administrations chief courtroom lawyer argued that Congress intended to apply the anti discrimination Law to . Citizens working for . Corporations overseas. A we should understand what is at stake a he said. If Aramco prevails . Employers Are free to discriminate overseas with regard to race religion and Justice Antonin Scalia questioned whether . Employers overseas could be forced under the administrations View to violate foreign Laws. For example he said saudi Arabia could require separate workplaces for men and women. But Starr said . Firms could abide by such cultural differences without violating . Law. Workplaces segregated by gender in saudi Arabia could be considered a legitimate exemption under the Federal Law he said. The justices heard arguments for 60 minutes in an Appeal by the administration and a lebanese american who said he was the victim of racial and religious discrimination by Aramco. The rights of millions of workers Are at stake in the Case with a High court ruling expected by july. Ali Boureslan of Elpaso Texas appealed to the High court for help. A naturalized . Citizen and lebanese native he said he was discriminated against by Aramco if Aramco prevails y/u.5. Employers Are free to discriminate overseas with regard to race religion and a Kenneth Starr when he worked for the company in saudi Arabia. Boureslan says his superiors refused to Grant him time off to celebrate a Muslim Holiday and said a British supervisor taunted him about his heritage. When he complained he said his work ratings plummeted and he was fired in 1984. A some have said the Case tests the adage a when in Rome do As the romans that principle has been invoked by defenders and critics of the argument that . Businesses abroad Are not required to heed . Anti Bias Laws. Friedman used the a when in Rome phrase in interviews defending the company a position. He did not use it in court on thursday. He said nations including the United states traditionally regard labor taws As matters of local concern. The United states should not dictate to another country what the Law should be there he argued. George Washington University Law professor Jona than la Urley said such deference to the Laws of other nations is outmoded. It Means a american multinationals can turn Back the clock on corporate responsibility a he said. A this Rule allows discrimination shelters for multinationals with a taste or a profit incentive for Boureslan an Engineer began working in 1979 for Aramco services co., the Houston based subsidiary of Aramco. He was transferred to saudi Arabia in 1980. He accused the company of illegal discrimination in a complaint with the Federal equal employment Opportunity commission and then sued Aramco for allegedly violating an anti Bias Law called title Vii of the civil rights act of 1964. R a Federal trial judge threw out his suit and last year the 5th . Circuit court of appeals upheld the dismissal by a 9-5 vote. The Bush administration supports Boureslan in its own High court Appeal. A a the Justice department said americans who work abroad should not be deprived of the 1964 Laws Protection against Bias. A key question is what Congress intended when it passed the Law. Justice department lawyers note that the Law specifically exempts employers treatment of a aliens outside any that exemption would be superfluous if the act did not apply abroad in the first place the department said. The 5th circuit court said the phrase could be interpreted to mean that Congress wanted to provide Protection for a aliens employed within but not outside the United the Law is silent on whether it applies to . Citizens working , but Elezi will meet Johannesburg South Africa apr Nelson Mandela and Mangolu thu but Elezi the country a two most powerful Black leaders will meet Jan.29 in their first face to face talks since Mandela a release from prison almost a year ago their parties said thursday. The talks set for the Indian Ocean port City of Durban could help slow the vicious faction fighting Between Mandela a african National Congress and Ruthele zips inkatha Freedom party. Mandela and but Elezi have been friends since the 1940s, but the Anc Leader had repeatedly refused to meet but Elezi since his release last february after 27 years in prison. The Anc inkatha dispute has been the main cause of the fighting in the Eastern province of Natal Nelson Mandela mangos thu but Elezi the Anc considered the country a leading Black political movement had accused but Elezi of using violence to get a meeting with Mandela and enhance his stature As a National figure. But Elezi meanwhile accused the Anc of trying to crush his Zulu based inkatha movement and other Black Anc inkatha dispute has been the main cause of the fighting in the Eastern province of Natal. A Tokyo apr British billionaire Richard Branson and his swedish co Pilot on thursday became the first hot air balloonist to Cross the Pacific setting several records and overcoming a fuel shortage along the Way. Branson and partner per Lindstrand Quot Ere sighted West of Juneau Alaska at 6 45 p.m., said project spokesmen in Miyako Ojo the Southern japanese town Quot Here the flight began. The two balloonist remained airborne and planned to continue on to British Columbia or the Yukon territory in Canada. But by reaching Alaska they had become he first to Cross the Pacific in a hot air we Are very excited about _ Jade it this far a Branson said by radio. A it has been a very difficult crossing and per and i Are very crossing the coastline the balloonist 5? a were cruising at 24,000 feet and a Speed of about 150 Mph flight officials said. They had covered about 6,000 Miles icily surpassing the previous distance record of 3,075 Miles they set in 1987 by crossing the Atlantic. Branson and Lindstrand hoped to land in Canada at around noon est spokesman Mark Lockwood said by Telephone from Miyako Ojo. Earlier thursday the two set a hot air balloon Speed record of 198.8 Mph flight officials said. By simply getting off the ground they set a record for flying the. Largest balloon Ever built. Branson founder of Virgin Atlantic airways and Virgin records and Lindstrand an accomplished balloonist and Pilot originally hoped to land in Utah Idaho or Wyoming. But on wednesday project officials at the launch site said 30 percent of the bal loons propane fuel had been inadvertently jettisoned and the goal was shortened. When Branson and Lindstrand crossed the Atlantic in 1987, their flight nearly ended in disaster. Branson leapt from the capsule As it crashed into the Irish sea and was rescued by a Navy helicopter. Lindstrand had jumped from the balloon earlier although it was the first Pacific crossing in a hot air balloon three americans and a japanese Man piloted a helium filled balloon from Japan to Covello calif., in 1981. Branson and Lindstrand attempted a Pacific crossing last year but scrubbed the flight after Frost damaged the balloons thin skin. Fumio. Tiwu a japanese balloonist launched Jan. 11 from Yokohama Japan on a Cross Pacific flight. Rescuers found him dead hours after he ditched in the Ocean about 290 Miles off Japan. The cause of the Accident was not known. Kohl voted All German Chancellor Bonn Germany up a the German bundestag thursday formally reelected Helmut Kohl As All German Chancellor six weeks alter the conservative politician led his Center right coalition to a landslide electoral Victory. Kohl was elected by 378 votes to 257, with nine abstentions in a session of the bundestag a the German parliament that was largely overshadowed to. By news that the Gulf War had started. Sands of time in the stars and stripes 40 years ago today. Jan. 18,1951 a chinese and North korean communist forces began massing in Western North Korea As United nations Forward units pulled Back to form a defense line South of suwon.30 years ago today. Jan. 18, 1961 a rear adm. Alien m. Shinn said he had Given up All Hope of finding any survivors in the wreckage of an air Force radar Tower which collapsed in a storm off the new Jersey coast.20 years ago today. Jan. 18, 1971 a former Interior Secretary Stewart l. Udall was arrested at a suburban Virginia drug store and charged with a concealment of merchandise.�?�7 0 years ago today. Jan. 18, 1981 a Iran a chief hostage negotiator said Iran has demanded a a clarification from the United states of its proposal to end the 14-month crisis by trading Frozen iranian assets for the 52 american hos tires. A
