European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 23, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 8 a the stars and stripes. Saturday March 23, 1991 Moscow up a More than three quarters of the eligible voters in the soviet Union cast ballots in favor of keeping the country together As a renewed federation the first Complete results showed thursday. In presenting the preliminary results of sundays referendum to the parliament Vladimir Orlov Central election commission chairman said the overwhelming outcome demonstrated a the Success of soviet democracy a. A a. A although the results were overwhelming in the nine republics that participated in the referendum a in the asian Republic of turkmen a for example 98 percent voted yes a the figures do not include the six soviet republics pushing hardest to break away from the coun try. The outcome was further clouded by the vagueness of the question on the referendum ballot. And in Many areas More questions were added that seemingly were at Odds with president Mikhail Gorbachev a plans to keep the country together with a Strong Central government. A a a a Orlov told parliament that 80 percent of the eligible 184 million voters across the vast Multi ethnic county formed under 70 years of communism had participated in the referendum and of those 76 percent voted yes. The pro Union vote was strongest in the five conservative Central asian republics. In each of the five republics More than 90 percent of those who voted agreed with the question a do you consider essential the preservation of the Union of soviet socialist republics As a renewed federation of Sovereign republics with equal  of the nine republics that participated the lowest positive vote was in the Ukraine where just slightly More than 70 percent of the voters supported the question. In the giant russian federation 71 percent voted yes and turnout was 75.4 percent. The Large cities Moscow Leningrad and Kiev demonstrated the lowest support for Gorbachev a plan for a renewed federation under a new a Union treaty a a treaty that has not yet been completed. Just Over 50 percent voted yes on the referendum Guestion in Moscow and Leningrad strongholds for russian Leader Boris Yeltsin and others who oppose Gorbachev and arc seeking a looser confederation of republics with less Power  Central government. A in Russia while approving the referendum voters also supported creating a new elected Post of president of the Republic a position that is expected to give Yeltsin a stronger Power base. A ukrainians despite their support for a renewed soviet Union also approved. A measure calling for increased sovereignty for their Republic. The elected governments in Lithuania Latvia Estonia Moldavia Armenia and Georgia the six republics most Adamant about Independence a refused to participate in the National referendum. Breeder nuke Plant scrapped by Germany Bonn Germany apr the government on thursday scrapped the nations Only fast breeder nuclear reactor after nearly two decades of work on the $4.4 billion project. Research and technology minister Heinz Rte sen Huber said the Federal government would Stop financing construction on the sophisticated reactor in Kalmar in the Western state of nor Rhein westfalen Nedr the Netherlands Border. A fast breeder reactor produces More Plutonic urn used in nuclear weapons than it consumes. Work began in 1973 on the 300-megawatt re actor in Kalmar. The Plant is technologically similar to a 1,200-megawatt facility at Creys Malville in France. Nor Rhein westfalen citizens opposed the Plant when it was ready to begin tests in 1986. Local officials refused to Issue a permit to allow the Plant to begin working. Opposition mounted following the 1986 Accident at the soviet unions chernobyl nuclear Plant. A ,. A. A. A a German taxpayers paid for half of the projects construction costs. Nixon urges soviets to free Baltic states sex president Nixon stands with soviet defense minister marshal Dmitri Yazoo in Moscow. Gen. Mikhail Moiseyev chief of the soviet general staff is in the background. Moscow apr former president Nixon said on Friday that soviet refusal to free the Baltic states is hurting relations with Washington and the Kremlin should move swiftly to Grant Independence. A a a a president Mikhail s. Gorbachev should move a expeditiously to respect the wishes of the people of the Baltic which were overwhelmingly Clear when they voted for Independence a Nixon said speaking to the Aca Dertis of Institute of world economics Nixon said his Call for Baltic Independence could be interpreted As interference in soviet internal affairs a but when internal problems of feet foreign policy then it is everyone a  he said Lithuania Latvia and Estonia annexed by the soviet Union in 1940 after being free Between the wars did not join the soviet Union voluntarily but were illegally incorporated under the hit Ler Stalin pact. A the United states has never recognized the legality of soviet domination Over these nations a Nixon told about 200 members of the Institute. A this Issue poisons our  the soviets have admitted the Baltic were a forcibly annexed but said a later vote by the people on whether to stay in the Union was not forced on them. All three Baltic states have recently held non binding referendums on Independence with the vast majority of voters calling for Freedom from Moscow. Nixon praised Gorbachev for his political Reform but said economic policies had failed. Ottawa apr Canadas supreme court ruled thursday that a fetus is not legally a person and has no guarantee of life under the nations criminal code. By unanimous vote the nine judges decided that two Vancouver midwives cannot be convicted of negligence for allegedly causing the death of a stillborn infant during a 1985 Home birth. The decision has implications far beyond the Issue of medical negligence touching on the Legal debate Over abortion plus the growing practice of midwifery. It was the latest in a series of rulings in which the High court has rejected or refused to consider assertions of. Fetal rights., in thursdays ruling chief Justice Antonio lamer writing for the court said a fetus cannot be considered court rules fetus not a person a distinct person for purposes of a negligence prosecution. A. A. Athe Case was a Victory for Mary Sullivan and Gloria Lcmay the midwives accused of mishandling the Home birth. A a a a a a a a a Quot. A a however thursdays judgment is confined to criminal Law and does not end the wider Legal controversy Over abortion said Helena Orton of the women Slegal education and action fund a feminist lobby group a a. A a a a a a a a a the court Hasni to decided the status of the fetus for purposes of the Constitution a she said in an interview. A but it gives us some Good indications about How the court would approach the  Landolt vice president of real women of Canada a conservative group that opposes abortion said it is absurd to suggest that a fetus in the process of birth is not a human being. She called on the Federal government to rewrite the Law on both abortion and medical negligence. A parliament has to act. Something must be done a she said. There has  National abortion Law since the supreme court struck Down the previous Law in 1988 As a violation of women a rights. A replacement Law narrowly passed the commons last year but the Senate killed it in january. Thursdays ruling though stating that the fetus is not a Legal person left the. Door open for negligent midwives to be prosecuted in the future for harming the pregnant Mother rather than the child. Airlines to pay patrons bumped in Europe Nuiji Ceic  a a it i _. .1. .1. 1a a a Brussels Belgium apr passengers denied hoarding on scheduled flights at european Community airports will be entitled to compensation from their airline Starling april 8, the association of european airlines said Friday. Ticketed passengers denied hoarding on reserved rights will Haw the option of getting a refund from their airline or de manding that they be rerouted to their destinations the Aea said in a statement. The Aea developed its plans in consultation with the dec which Hist year required compensation for passengers humped from lights. Under the plan passengers dying less than 2,170 mites will he paid s95 for wait ing less than two hours and $1s9 for waiting More than two hours the Aea said. Passengers flying More than 2,170 Miles will be paid $189 if they have to wait less than four hours and $378 for wailing More than four hours the Aea said even so the Aea insisted airlines Are not primarily to blame for the problem. A passengers booking a seat a showing up at departure Are to cause of the problem a Sefik Aea general manager for comme fairs said in the statement. The statement said airlines a co by try to adjust their techniques Ance bookings and of course try .1 a denied boarding situation to err any