European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 16, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Sunday june 16, 1991 the stars and stripes a Page 9phased hostage release Nicosia Cyprus apr the Tehran times daily newspaper said saturday a phased release of Western hostages held by pro iranian militants in Lebanon May begin in a few Days. The English language paper said it was not Clear which of the captives would come out first but that lebanese and palestinian detainees held by Israel also will be freed. The Tehran times has generally been accurate in its reports on the hostages and is close to iranian president . It quoted its correspondent in Beirut Lebanon As saying \ a fall those to whom i talked Here in the lebanese capital share the same opinion a that the hostages whether they Are in Israel or Lebanon Are going to be released in the near  there Are 13 westerners missing in Lebanon a six americans four britons two germans and an italian. Most Are believed held by militants linked to Hezbollah or party of god which is backed by Iran one of the captors key demand has been the release of 300 to 400 lebanese and palestinians held by Israel. Israel has said it would free the detainees in Exchange for seven israeli servicemen missing since its 1982 inva Sioui of Lebanon. Athe Tehran  did not identify its correspondent in Beirut and said his sources refused to be quoted by name for fear of jeopardizing the Deal. The correspondent attributed the breakthrough to a recent Contact Between Tehran and London and a visit to Syria and Lebanon by a senior British foreign office official. He said that in a Telephone conference on wednesday with iranian foreign minister Ali Akbar Velamati British foreign Secretary Douglas Hurd asked that world Competition picks up for Thatcher s memoirs from wire reports London a Competition to publish Margaret thatchers memoirs heated up with Media Mogul Robert maxwells Macmillan group vying for the Book that has lured record pay offers for a political autobiography a report said saturday. Macmillan emerged As a serious contender for the former prime ministers memoirs which her son Mark now wants to publish in three vol times instead of one a blockbuster a the guardian newspaper said. The report said Competition for the Book raised the asking Price to $10 million a record for political biography about two months ago at discussions with Macmillan in new York but that Maxwell was said to have beaten the Price Down to $7 million. 2,000 evacuated in Paris Paris a a fire at a gasoline depot on the Northern Edge of Paris forced the evacuation of More than 2,000 people set off explosions and injured 13 firefighters Friday authorities said. A Tower of smoke from the Blaze could be seen from across Paris. The fire broke out at 1.1 30 . During repair work on a pipeline at a storage facility owned by the state controlled Oil company total. The cause of the fire was not immediately known. 35 tons of pot burned Medellin Colombia police say they have seized and incinerated 35 tons of marijuana found packed in cigarette boxes that were ready to be smuggled into the United states. The marijuana was discovered near the town of uru Mita in the Northern coastal Region of Gua Jira police said Friday. Security forces have made record drug seizures this year Quot they have reported seizing and destroying 163 tons of marijuana. Tehran a use its spiritual influence for the release of the  i. Hurdus chief aide foreign office minister Douglas Hogg said in Beirut on wednesday that he Quot was Able to impress the government of Israel of the importance of releasing people for whom there is no lawful or proper reason to detain.�?�. The Tehran times correspondent said Hogg a statement was a considered positive by Many observers in  a a these observers he added a speculate that american and British hostages May be released in a few Days  a a the newspaper said that when asked if All the Cap Tives would be released at the same time the correspondent answered that they a May be released gradually not in  1. The newspaper said that because the Story developed Friday the Muslim Sabbath there was no  the foreign ministry in Tehran to comment on the report. It was the newspapers second report of the week to predict a hostage release. On wednesday it quoted its Beirut correspondent As saying a it May be that one or Quot two american hostages May be released in the near future. The israeli government often times prisoner releases to coincide with holy islamic feasts. Muslims celebrate eid Al aha or the feast of sacrifice next saturday marking the end of the annual pilgrimage season to the holy shrines of Mecca and Mcdina in saudi Arabia. A there has been no word from Israel if any release is planned for the occasion. Before the circulation of the Tehran times report israelis defense ministry accused Iran and Syria on Friday of exploiting the Issue of the Western hostages in order to pressure Israel into releasing imprisoned  of Faith a Many a Best Friend leads the Way in a Parachute jump in Thailand As part of a military reconnaissance team during a joint exercise by american and thai forces. The picture is part of a winning portfolio by Navy photographer Ted Salois who. Was recently name Ltd military photographer of the year. Accepts invitation to meet with Summit leaders Moscow up a soviet president Mikhail Gorbachev accepted a British invitation to meet with leaders of the group of seven Industrial nations in july in London the Tass Agency  said British ambassador Roderick Braithwaite handed the invitation from prime minister John major to Gorbachev when they met in the Kremlin. A the president of the soviet Union accepted the invitation with satisfaction a the official Tass news Agency said saturday. A a Tass did not specifically say Gorbachev was invited to the group of seven economic Summit in London from july 15-17, Only that he would meet with the leaders. It was reported earlier that Gorbachev was invited to meet with the leaders after the Summit ended. The seven nations Are the United states Japan Britain Germany France Italy and Canada. It was up to Britain As the Host to extend the invitation. 1 Tass said the official invitation was to meet a the Heads of state of the seven Industrial nations who will gather in London in mid july. The invitation Caps a monthlong Campaign by Gorbachev to be invited to the conclave to state the soviet Case for Aid to ensure that perestroika will survive. At his Nobel peace prize lecture in Oslo this month Gorbachev said the soviet Union is a a entitled to Large scale Aid because perestroika is the concern of the entire world not just of the soviet Union r although Gorbachev has spoken of a new forms of cooperation a he has also said that $100 billion would be a Price Worth paying to ensure that perestroika succeeds a v. President Bush indicated Friday he was not about to approve enormous financial Aid until he sees a thorough soviet blueprint that indicates it is serious about economic Reform. A Den Helder Netherlands a dutch entrepreneurs who bought a decommissioned soviet sub As a tourist attraction complained Friday of being snared by the traditional pitfall of Long distance buying. They say they got the wrong merchandise. After hearing that soviet subs were for Sale As scrap f the three businessmen flew to the latvian capital of. Riga in March and bought a 300-foot-Long foxtrot class diesel powered sub for $500,000. A we thought it would be a great stunt to have a soviet submarine right Here in the Den Helder naval port a said partner Alex Oostendorp a especially since no russian ships have been allowed to come in Here since world War ll.�?�. A. A. The Purchase was reported in major dutch dailies. When the sub towed by a soviet tug arrived thursday off the dutch Island of Tixel Oostendorp and his partner Swent aboard to inspect their Purchase. 1 they decided it was an earlier Zulu class submarine not the foxtrot version they ordered. A these russians pretend its a foxtrot but Tine look toll us that its not the one we bought a Oostendorp said Friday brandishing the authoritative a Jane s fighting ships. The subs arrival was confirmed by dutch customs. There is no dutch Law against the importation of disarmed foreign warships. Oostendorp and his partners had planned to restore their outmoded and Rusty submarine and open it to the Public As a tourist attraction. He said a 40 percent Dow payment had already been made and complained that the Zulu might not he As attractive to tourists because foxtrot class subs Are still used to patrol Northern european Waters and the zulus Aren t. I foxtrot were built in the late 1950�?Ts and carried 22 torpedoes. About the same size the Zulu class diesel subs were built in the Early ,1950�?Ts and were far less sophisticated. I he soviets had agreed to the sub Deal on condition that All the weaponry was removed and the vessel could not be used for military purposes Oostendorp said