European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 30, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 28 a a the stars and stripes wednesday january 30,1991 news briefs French minister quits Post i ties Paris a Joan Pierre Chevy nement resigned tuesday As defense minister after coming under Sharp criticism for his ties to Iraq and his dovish views on the persian Gulf War. Cheve nement was immediately replaced by Interior minister Pierre Joe presidential spokesman Hubert Vedrine said in a communique announcing the resignation. It had been widely expected that Shevene ment a founder of the Franco iraqi Friendship society who has been defense minister since 1988, would resign after the War. The communique did not say Why he was quitting now. Embassy to Issue masks Riyadh saudi Arabia a amps a the . Embassy bowing to pressure from americans seeking Protection from a possible iraqi chemical attack has decided to Issue Gas masks to american citizens in Riyadh who want them in announcing the policy change tuesday the embassy insisted that Quot the risk of chemical attack Here is slight and that the Best defense in the unlikely event of such an attack is to stay indoors in Arv unventilated  . Officials have set up strict standards for the distribution of the masks to make sure they Are used safely. The announcement blamed Quot recent fatalities Here and elsewhere in the Middle East on improper use of the  killed in Accident Washington a amps a 26-year-od Vii corps Soldier died on Jan. 15 when his Bunker collapsed in Eastern saudi Arabia army officials said tuesday. The victim was identified As  Hampton a Cannon Crew member assigned to co a 2nd Btry 3rd Field arty brigade from Kirch Gons Germany. Hampton was attempting to climb out of his Bunker when its support system gave was officials  the Mississippi native is survived by his wife in Germany and his parents. Army officials declined to release the names of the family members citing privacy reasons. A spokesman for Central come said the military was nearly two weeks late in announcing the Accident which occurred one Day before the Pentagon launched operation desert storm because of Quot a late notice from the Field according to a up report. A. Readers from Page 1.a. Those expressing a viewpoint appearing on one Page. Letters requesting assistance or information will appear on another Page in a new feature called Quot action  letters to the editor will appear every Day beginning on sunday Quot action line begins on monday feb. 4, and will appear every Day except thursday and sunday., a business news a including personal finance news and information a will be expanded starting monday with a Page devoted daily to this  Saddam says War is just beginning from Page 1.  to action during the War. Allied officials have said that about 100 iraqi planes both combat and transport aircraft have taken Refuge in Iran which has declared its neutrality in the Gulf War. Iraq has about 700 planes in its air Force. A the Tehran government has promised to impound the planes until the wars end. But Saddam asked about the planes told can that Quot Iraq and Iran Are neighbouring Muslim countries and regardless of the circumstances of the past they both see the current confrontation Here As a Battle Between Faith and the  Iran and Iraq fought an Eglit year War that ended in 1988. Asked if the planes would be used in the current conflict Saddam said.  Case in its own  White House spokesman Marlin Fitzwater said the . Military knows where the iraqi planes  watched them go in a he said. A a they la attack them when they come  his remarks were echoed by army Brig. Gen. Pat Stevens in at a briefing in Riyadh saudi Arabia on tuesday. A a. A a a a a a a  pressed by reporters about the departure of iraqi planes to Iran Stevens said any aircraft would be shot Down while Over Iraq. A if they remain in the theater of War As an enemy aircraft we re going to try to destroy them a Stevens said of the iraqi planes. It. Later tuesday Fitzwater said the iranians have Given the United states assurances through third parties a within the last 24 hours that the iraqi planes will be grounded for the duration of the War. Earlier Fitzwater dismissed Saddam a remarks As a the Standard propaganda speech in which he again threatens to kill americans and undertake All sorts of despicable acts of  a a he a certainly proven he a capable of that by his at tacks of citizens and his attacks on the environment a said Fitzwater. A. While declining to confirm or deny directly that Iraq deliberately dumped millions of Gallons of kuwaiti Oil into the Gulf Saddam said a if Iraq uses Oil in self defense including in the sea it would be justified in taking such  a a. Saddam also refused to Rule out the use of chemical and biological warheads which he is believed to possess or nuclear warheads which he is unlikely to have. He pointed out that Iraq could put non conventional warheads on the scuds it has used to sporadically bombard israeli and palestinian residential areas within Israel and civilian and military targets in saudi Arabia. Speaking Only a few hours after Allied military spokesmen in Riyadh saudi Arabia declined to Rule out the use of nuclear weapons by their Side Saddam also declined to Rule out the use of chemical weapons against Allied troops. A we will use the weapons that will be equitable to the weapons used against us by our enemies replied Saddam. A. A a a. Arnett asked him if he meant he would use such unconventional weapons Only if they were used first against Iraq. A i did no to mean that a replied Saddam. A Iraq will use weapons that equate the weapons used against  Saddam also expressed regret for releasing Western hostages prior to the outbreak of hostilities asking a if we had kept those 5,000 hostages Here would president Bush have bombed Baghdad a Arnett said that when he asked the iraqi Leader what a message he hoped to convey to in no a worldwide audience Saddam replied a i wish the americans Well and Pray none of their sons will die and that All the people of Iraq Are grateful to Noble souls in America demonstrating against the War in France in Germany in Spain and All  a a Security Council to discuss Fate of Iran Iraq monitoring group by Joseph Owen Middle East Bureau the . Security Council on wednesday will attend to unfinished business involving iraqis earlier War with Iran a . Spokesman said. The Council is scheduled to Riivet in closed session at 5 . In new York to decide the future of the . Iran Iraq military observer group. The United nations established the group in August 1988 to Monitor a cease fire Between the two countries at the end of their eight year War. All . Observers withdrew from Iraq by Jan. 15 in anticipation of the War that began there two Days later spokesman Matt Nerzig said in new York. Many of them Are in Iran at . Headquarters or on vacation. See related Story on Page 5. The observer group staffed in Many cases by officers from Allied nations now fighting Iraq operated originally on renewable six month mandates that were reduced to two months when Kuwait was invaded in August. The current two month mandate ends thursday. When it was established in 1988, the group had 400 military Andi 200 civilian personnel from 25 nations. By last month it had dwindled to 230 military and 150 civilian personnel from 20 nations. In Light of the relaxation of tension Between Iraq and Iran the groups future appears Likely to be Short. A a Good part of their Mission has been completed a said one in. Spokesman in the Middle East. But the War to drive Iraq from Kuwait May produce another peacekeeping Mission right next to the old one. . Secretary general Javier Perez de Cuellar said Jan. 15 that he would be willing with approval of the Security Council and other parties involved in the kuwaiti dispute a immediately to deploy United nations observers and if necessary United nations forces to certify iraqis withdrawal and prevent  Page 1 a flow of Oil into the Slick has stopped and a pipeline fire has gone out. The Hood of crude Oil which . Officials said was deliberately unleashed by iraqi occupiers in Kuwait was stemmed by an american air strike on a pipeline Complex. Before the american air strike an estimated 460 million Gallons of crude poured into the Gulf a nearly three times the size of the world s largest previous spill. Stevens said the allies flew. 2,600 sorties tuesday boosting the total number in the War to about 26,600. A he said no Allied planes or pilots have been lost since a Marine corps harrier Jet was shot Down by ground fire monday a the 24th Allied plane lost in the War. One iraqi Mig-23 was shot Down monday by an Allied f-15, Stevens said bringing to 50 the number of iraqi planes lost to attacks on the ground and in the air. Iran a official news Agency reported tuesday that a petrochemical Complex near the strategic iraqi City of Basra came under heavy Allied bombardment overnight. Fires started by the bombing raged into the morning the Agency said. A in addition the Agency it quoted an opposition kurdish group As reporting heavy bombing damage in the Northern iraqi City of Kirkuk in an Oil producing Region. Also tuesday officials reported that a Allied warplanes caught an iraqi military Convoy moving across the open desert in Southern Iraq on monday night and destroyed 24 tanks armoured personnel carriers and Supply vehicles. The action reported by a . Media Pool was visible to . Marines across the Border in saudi Arabia. Stevens said the iraqi column appeared to be on a routine Man Euver and not on an attack route. A members of the 1st Marine div crept up to the saudi Kuwait Border tuesday and unleashed the largest ground attack of the War firing More than 300 rounds of artillery mortars Tow missiles and automatic cannons on iraqi bunkers and observation posts in Kuwait. There was no return fire in the 15-minute  a \ a a a Navy fighter bombers have pounded iraqis elite Republican guard and knocked out an Oil storage facility and two iraqi miss lift Sites naval Cav to Vav u a us ecu pinpoint Singie Domo strikes of r/z\-18 hornets on a surface to air missile site near Kuwait International Airport and on the Petroleum complexes control Center near Basra naval officers said a separate raid by the carriers a-6e intruders knocked out a silkworm missile site on the kuwaiti coast. Race officer was killed during a botched ambush of three saudi arabian Border guards that apparently involved a dozen iraqis who  saudi territory sunday night according to a senior . Officer