European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 18, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 8 b the stars and stripes monday March 18, 1991 Syria vows ongoing Effort to free Western hostages. From wire reports Beirut Lebanon a syrian vice president Abdul Halim Haddam said sunday that his country will continue efforts to end the ordeal of 12 Western hostages believed held by Muslim fundamentalist groups in Lebanon. A efforts have been exerted and we will keep on our efforts to close this file a Haddam said after meeting with lebanese president Elias Herawi at the presidential Headquarters in. Beirut. The syrian official arrived unexpectedly by Laud in the lebanese capital accompanied by the chief of syrian intelligence in Lebanon gha Kanaan. Khz Addams a statement came after Muslim shiite sources told United press International on Friday that Syria and Iran have agreed in principle to seek the release of All hostages and that their efforts might result in freeing one of the captives probably a . National. The shiites said saturday that High ranking Hezbollah officials had been summoned to the iranian capital Rice removed a . Embassy official removes american Rice from an International food show in Moku Hari Japan after japanese officials told the embassy in Tokyo that the Rice violated import restrictions and the exhibitors would be arrested if u were not removed. Hamburg. Germany apr former East German Leader Erich Honecker who was whisked away to Moscow by the soviets last week is filing suit to get Money out of his Frozen private Hank account a newspaper said saturday. T he Hamburg based Bild am Sonnta said Honecker had instructed his lawyer Friedrich Wolff to take Legal action to obtain 177,000 Marks about $120,000 Frozen in the fugitive leaders account because of a criminal investigation against him. Hie newspaper also quoted Wolff As saying another 70,000 Marks was due to i Lone Ekery a wife Margot in addition to a Wartburg automobile. Honecker and his wife were spirited away to Moscow on wednesday from a soviet military Hospital near Berlin. Soviet authorities said he had been moved for medical reasons. German Justice officials had been demanding Hon eckers release to face manslaughter charges in the deaths of would be escapees from East Germany but by senior officials in the government of president Hashemi a Sfanjani. Hezbollah or party of god was founded with Irani an financing and support eight years ago. Despite its Public denial of involvement in hostage taking members of its secret intelligence Branch Are believed to Lead the underground factions holding the hostages. The delegation to Tehran is said to include members of the highest ranking authority in Hezbollah called the consultative Council. A a saturday began Terry Andersons seventh Cair in Captivity. The Beirut Bureau chief for the associated press is the longest held american hostage. The other westerners believed still held in Lebanon arc americans Thomas Sutherland Joseph Cicippio Edward Tracy Alann Steen and Jesse Turner britons Terry Waite John Mccarthy and Jack Mann germans Thomas Kemptner and Henrich Struebig and italian Alberto  favors popular vote on . Bases Manila Philippines up a president Corazon Aquino said sunday that she supports holding a referendum on the Extension of . Basing rights before the Philippines Senate votes on the matter. In a discussion last week with Manila students shown in her regular talk show Aquino expressed support for a House Bill calling for a referendum within 60 Days after a new bases lease is signed and before it is submitted for ratification by the Senate. Many members of the Senate have refused to act on the Philippines House Bill saying it is unconstitutional. The Philippines is Host to six . Facilities including the giant Clark a and Subic Bay naval facilities under a 1947 treaty that expires sept. Ift. Under the Constitution any renewal requires a two thirds vote of the 23-member Senate and its submission to a plebiscite it Congress so desires. A. A for Niy part i believe in consultation Quot Aquino said when asked if she favors a referendum As proposed in the House Bill. A i would like to consult with the filipino people what arc their views with regard to the . Bases but this will probably be held after a treaty May have been signed. A final round of talks is expected to be held Early next month in Manila to try to break an impasse Over compensation from the United states and How Long . Forces would stay. The Philippines saddled with a $28 billion foreign debt has offered to renew the . Lease for seven years in Exchange for a compensation package of $825 million annually., including $4 10 million in Cash and $425 million in Trade Access and debt Relief. Washington which gives Manila $481 million annually in Aid for the bases wants a 10 to 12-Ycar Extension of the lease. It has promised to provide the Philippines with $360 million annually in assistance. The soviets have maintained he was too ill. Honecker 78, was also under investigation for corruption and abuse of office during his time As Leader of former East Germany from 1971 until his downfall in late 1989. While German leaders have said Honecker must he returned they also appeared careful not to let his departure ruin relations with the soviets. Dieter Vogel Chancellor Helmut Kohls spokesman denied speculation the government secretly approved Honecker leaving to ensure soviet troops would be withdrawn from former East Germany As promised. Some a Tukio soviets troops Are still based there. Soviet foreign ministry spokesman Vitaly Churkin said Honecker cannot be returned to Germany a because of his  according to Bild am sonntag Honecker s lawyer said the aging former Leader does not want to remain in Moscow. Bild quoted Wolff As saying Honecker wants to live out his final Days in Chile where his daughter and grandchildren  israeli gunman convicted of killing 7 palestinians from wire reports Jerusalem a a former israeli Soldier who opened fire on palestinian workers at a Crossroads in Central Israel last year was convicted sunday on seven counts of murder and 10 counts of attempted murder. He was sentenced of seven consecutive life terms in prison. The convicted killer am Popper 21, received the verdict sunday morning from a three judge panel in Tel Aviv District court. The court found him guilty of murder for the deaths of the seven Arab workers May 5, 1990, in Rishon be Zion the seven were caught in the Volley of gunfire from the Arr Ray Issue automatic title Popper had taken from his brother. The 10 other counts were lodged against him for the attempted murder of several palestinians who were standing on the Roadside when Popper started shooting. He told police during his interrogation that he killed the palestinians because he was distressed Over being jilted by his Girlfriend and because of an alleged sexual assault on him by an Arab eight years before. A a a a  this is one of the gravest actions Ever decided in a court in Israel a prosecutor Dor it Shapi Masaid. A a a a a a  a it a a a v. A a a a German Union oks pact Stuttgart Germany a Germany a powerful transport and Public services Union agreed saturday to a 6 percent increase in pay for some 2.4 million workers including 110,000 railway employees the Union said. The agreement came after a week of Short warning strikes throughout the country with the Union pressing for a 10 percent increase in pay and transport and Public service representatives offering a 4.1 percent increase. Monika Wulf Mathes the head of the Union announced the agreement in evening news broadcasts Over National television stations.,. The agreement is retroactive to Jan. 1 and remains in effect for a year the Union said. La lie agree men is expected to Cost Federal state and local communities an additional $11 billion in salaries and benefits the Interior ministry  girl Pope urges Vatican City Pope John. Paul h appealed sunday Tor the release of a kidnapped Spanish girl in a Brief unusual message at the end of the midday prayer in St. Peter s Square. Speaking in Spanish the Pope called for the release of 9-year-old Anna Maria Jerez who disappeared from her Home in the Southern Spanish town of Huelva on feb. 19. A i Appeal to the people responsible to restore Little Anna Maria to her family a the Pope said expressing his Solidarity with the girl s parents a in these hours of suffering.�?�. The Pope has frequently made Public appeals in behalf of Kidnap victims in Italy but has rarely intervened in such cases  Leader Dies Madrid Spain a a Fala Gist Leader to it of the Spanish civil War Era Pilar Primo de Rivera died sunday of a heart ailment. She was 78. In 1924, Primo de Rivera co founded the women s Brunch of the falange Spain a fascist movement and participated in the right Wing government headed by the victorious Francisco Franco after the i93 i-1939 Spanish civil War Primo de Rivera a brother Jose Antonio led the falange until he was executed in the wars Early Days by the government of the second re Public against which Franco revolted. Her father Gen Miguel Primo de Rivera headed the military Junta that ran the country from 1923 to 1930. Franco named Pilar Primo de Rivera the countess of Castillo de la Mota in l960. She retired irom the falange in 1977, two years after Franco s death paved the Way for a return to democracy. She wrote an autobiography in 1983. Funeral arrangements were pending following her death in the san Francisco de Asis Hospital and a lying in state in Madrid