European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 10, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse Vol. 50, no. 88 wednesday july 10,1991 Contra authorized unofficial publication for the . Armed forces 35 d 8693 a gets new Excia official pleads guilty to Aid investigation Washington a a former Cia officer pleaded guilty monday to two Misdemeanour charges of withholding information from Congress in the Iran Contra affair. He agreed to cooperate in the continuing investigation of the arms for hostages scandal. Alan Fiers former chief of the Ciao scentral american task Force admitted that he withheld information from Congress about the diversion of Iran arms Sale Money to the contras and about Oliver North a secret operation to resupply the contras with weapons in 1985 and 1986. A emr. Fierst plea of guilty and agreement to cooperate Mark a significant Advance in our investigation a said Independent counsel Lawrence Walsh. Iran Contra prosecutor Craig Gillen disclosed in court that Fiers already has supplied significant information that flatly contradicts North a sworn testimony. Walsh is investigating whether current and former Cia officials and aides to then vice president George Bush lied when they denied knowing about the diversion and about North a resupply network to the contras. No rafts network circumvented a congressional ban that prohibited the Cia from supplying the rebels military needs. Fierst testimony could breathe new life into Walsh a 4vi-year criminal investigation which republicans have suggested be brought to a conclusion. It also comes at a politically sensitive time As the Senate considers the nomination of Robert Gates to head the Cia. Gates was then Deputy director of the Cia under William Casey at the time of Iran Contra and Fiers had occasional Contact with wins backing from Yeltsin republics Moscow apr president Mikhail s. Gorbachev won political backing tuesday from rival Boris n. Yeltsin and a Promise from nine of the soviet unions 15 republics to support an economic plan he is to present next week to the group of seven. Yeltsin president of the largest and richest soviet Republic has feuded with Gorbachev for three years and had called for open opposition to the Kremlin during recent months. But asked tuesday whether he would support Gorbachev in a proposed direct election to a National presidency Yeltsin answered a yes i think Yeltsin said however that Gorbachev must stick to a Reform course. Yeltsin a comment appeared to confirm Gorbachev a return to the reformist fold after the presidents Long Winter facing pressure from hard liners in the communist party Kab and military. Unlike Yeltsin Gorbachev has not been directly elected. The elections would take place after the signing of a new Constitution and new Union treaty. Gorbachev has said he wants the treaty signed soon. Gorbachev on monday also won key backing from Yeltsin and eight other Republic leaders for the single Market plan Gorbachev will present at his july 17 meeting in London with leaders of the seven leading industrialized nations. A final agreement is under Way a Gorbachev told see Gorbachev on Page 10rebel serbs in Croatia fire on train injuring 1 Fiers pleaded guilty to a criminal information before . District judge Aubrey Robinson. A yes i do a Fiers replied when Robin son asked him whether he fully understood the charges. Fiers could face up to one year in jail and a $200,000 Fine on each of the two Misdemeanour charges. Now retired from the Agency Fiers is the Only Cia officer to plead guilty to crimes in the scandal that tarnished the last two years of the Ronald Reagan see Contra on Page 10 wet and wild bulls barrel Over rain Slick streets tuesday in Pamplon min festival. Although several youths were charged a Spain during the third run at the famed san Fer none was seriously injured. Sec Story on Page 8. Belgrade Yugoslavia up rebel serbs in Eastern Croatia raked a train with bullets tuesday injuring at least one passenger and croatian Security units exchanged fire with Federal troops in a resumption of a clash that hours earlier left at least one Man dead and three wounded officials said. The fresh unrest in Independence minded Croatia came As two members of the yugoslav collective presidency held talks in Ljubljana with secessionist slovenian leaders on their alleged failure to fully implement a european Community brokered Accord aimed at averting new hostilities with the Federal military. The eight member yugoslav presidency complained that the breakaway Republic had flaunted a Midnight monday deadline for de mobilizing All of its militia units. A slovenian official said the Federal army still posed a threat and would first have to Send Home reservists called up in other parts of the Balkan nation before the Republic completely demobilized its delegation of senior dec diplomats was expected to arrive in Belgrade for talks on arranging an observer team to Monitor implementation of the peace see serbs on Page 10 fourth Reich Contention rejected by Germany Berlin apr the German government monday strongly rejected accusations from Yugoslavia that Germany and Austria want to absorb parts of a dismembered Yugoslavia and forge a a fourth the comments stung newly United Germany which had to fend off suspicions during unification last year that a combined East and West Germany would again dominate Europe. Government spokesman Dieter Vogel said Germany welcomed a new agreement reached monday and mediated by european Community foreign ministers. The agreement was intended to Cool Down strife Between the yugoslav Central government and the breakaway Republic of Slovenia. Vogel then demanded that the yugoslav government reject what he called a ugly insinuations about German policy. He was referring to articles in the yugoslav government controlled press alleging a pan German drive to break off parts of Yugoslavia. The Tan Jug see Germany on Page 10
