European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 16, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Tuesday april 16, 1991 the stars and stripes b Page 9 Deal directly with Russia Yeltsin urges dec officials Strasbourg France up Boris Yeltsin urged european countries monday to establish direct relations with the russian Republic but he received a Chilly response from leaders of the european parliament and the Council of Europe. Yeltsin a suggestion that european nations Deal directly with the russian Republic of which he is the nominal Leader followed his remarks sunday saying that the russian Republic Given its economic and political weight within the soviet Union should make its voice heard directly on the world stage. Yeltsin made his suggestion during a meeting monday with european parliament president Enrique Baron Crespo who replied Only that the Issue deserved to be studied. Catherine Lalumiere the French Secretary general of the 25-member Council of Europe reminded Yeltsin that until now the organization has maintained formal relations Only with the soviet Union and not with any of its component republics. Lalumiere said the Issue was currently being studied by the european conference of local Powers which could decide to Welcome the three Baltic republics As observers. The soviet Union does not belong to the Council of Europe or to the european parliament which is composed of elected representatives from the 12 european Community nations. Soviet political experts said Yeltsin a remarks suggesting direct contacts Between the russian Republic and european countries were evidently intended to further weaken soviet president Mikhail s. Gorbachev. Iii Usu in ii ilit-1 jul Vii Ivy Saivii i Vul ii Sun i i is Iuva uni is l Vii Iii a Tunis ii a i a Iii ii Vul president Mikhail s. Gorbachev. Is before an interview monday in Strasbourg France. Gorbachev in route to Tokyo visits Graves of japanese pow world bbl s world service to begins airing in Europe from wire reports London a the British broadcasting  world service television a satellite subscription Channel providing news and entertain rent began broadcasting monday to Europe. Chief executive Chris Irwin said the Channel hoped to duplicate the Success of the world service radio network. A a bbl world service television will showcase some of the Best of bbl to programs in Europe and give a global perspective to news and information in the True world service tradition a he said. A we Hope the service will be available in every continent by 1993.�?� a daily half hour International news Roundup is the Centrepiece of the news programming. In addition to news programs documentaries and drama from bbc1 and bbc2 channels in Britain will be aired. In Europe bbl world service television is carried on Intelsat i which serves nearly 1 million households by Cable networks Smatz or Homes with satellite dishes and decoders. News stuns listeners Rome a soccer fans listening to a play by play report of italian major league games were  an announcer broke in and said Pope John Paul ii had been critically wounded in an assassination attempt. Moments later on sunday the soccer was interrupted again for the report of the arrest of a terrorist for the assassination of former Premier Aldo Moro. The two reports were actually tapes of news highlights Over the last decade the papal shooting and the terrorist arrest both took in 1981. The state run Rai radio explained that the tapes were scheduled for transmission on another show and somehow got on the air during soccer. Service held for victims Livorno Italy a a roman Catholic Bishop led a memorial service on sunday for 142 people killed aboard a ferry that collided with a Tanker last week and urged the government to take Steps to guarantee safety on the seas. Authorities had earlier estimated that 139 people died when the ferry moby Prince collided with the Tanker Agio Abruzzo. But it was later discovered that several people boarded the vessel at the last minute. The ferry was travelling from Livorno to the italian Island of Sardinia. The Crew of the Tanker was not harmed. The sole survivor on the ferry was a Cabin attendant. A it is my duty to wish that the competent authorities take urgent measures to guarantee More safety in transportation especially on the seas a Bishop Alberto Ablondi said. Greek ferry catches fire Athens Greece a fire broke out monday night aboard the greek ferryboat Rodos. Its 648 passengers were evacuated on lifeboats and carried to safety by a passing liner the merchant Marine ministry said. There were no reports of injuries among the passengers or the 90-member Crew said merchant Marine minister Aristoteli Pavlides. He said the fire broke out in the engine room of the vessel As it sailed off Cape so Union 40 Miles Southwest of Athens. Tokyo apr Mikhail s. Gorbachev on the Way to his historic visit to Japan attended a Wreath laying ceremony monday at the Graves of japanese prisoners of War in Siberia. He was to arrive in Tokyo on tuesday for the first visit to Japan by a soviet Leader. Both nations Hope the soviet presidents four Day Summit with prime minister Toshiki Kaifu will help warm relations that have been Cool since world War 11, due to a territorial dispute. But neither Side expects a breakthrough in the dispute Over the Kuril islands which has blocked most japanese investment in the soviet Union and prevented the signing of a world War 11 peace treaty. In a simple ceremony in a cemetery in Khabarovsk Gorbachev said he was paying his respects to the japanese a in an act of reconciliation a Kyodo news service a reported. Quot a. A. Two red army soldiers placed a Wreath in front of a Plain Tombstone As a solemn looking Gorbachev looked on. His wife Raisa and other soviet dignitaries also placed Flowers at the cemetery. The Tombstone surrounded by unmarked japanese Graves was built by families of the pos and says a japanese  japanese sources say the soviets imprisoned 600,000 japanese at the end of world War ii even though the soviet Union did not declare War on Japan until three Days after the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. An estimated 60,000 of those prisoners died in the harsh conditions of siberian Camps. The last of the survivors was not released until 11 years after the War. The soviet news Agency Tass said that More than 180 japanese prisoners were buried in the Khabarovsk cemetery most of them in unmarked Graves. But the japanese Are after much More than an apology for soviet treatment of pos. They arc demanding the return of four islands a actually three islands and a Small Island Chain a seized by the soviets in the final Days of the War. The islands Are just off Northern  israeli Gas masks found to be defective a Jerusalem apr one third of mid March but the full report was kept the Gas masks distributed to israelis Dur secret until its release on sunday ing the persian Gulf War did not provide after the report was released israelis sufficient Protection against chemical at swamped radio talk shows to voice their tack a state comptrollers report says. Anger. Several said they Felt betrayed by among the inadequate masks which the government were defective or fit improperly were defense minister Moshe Arens rejected Many issued to infants and children the the reports conclusions and prime min report says. Ister Yitzhak Shamir said he fully trusted state comptroller Miriam Ben Porat the Security establishments opinions criticized both the army and government Arens told Israel radio that a i have no for their failure to protect the population doubt the Public got from the army a from and called for an Independent inquiry infant to elderly a adequate  into the nations Gasi mask Supply. But military analyst Zeev Schiff said on her conclusions were made Public in Israel television that the comptrollers charges were serious a if we were speak safely for just an  about Only one finding it  be Ben Porat said government surveys in so significant but we Are talking about dictated As Early As 1988 that Israel Many  needed 590,000 special masks with the report charges that Many of the pumps for toddlers but at the Onset of filters provided for adult masks were old. The Gulf crisis Israel had just 123,000 such it also says the army distributed one masks in Stock. A mask size to All israelis Over 16. As a re although Iraq had threatened to use suit a about one third of the adult pop chemical weapons All 39 scuds aimed at elation. Did not get minimal protect Israel Between Jan. 18 and feb. 25 carbons because the mask was ill fitting. Ried conventional warheads. Ben Porat charged that the army Cut the scuds killed two israelis and gov Corners on infants and toddlers distribute Ern ment reports said an additional 11 ing Small masks and tents that provided people died mainly from heart attacks or Only limited Protection and could be used improper use of Gas masks