European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 11, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Vol. 50, no. 89 thursday july 11, 1991 b authorized unofficial publication for the . Armed forces 35c d 8693 a president oks s plan to close bases Washington a president Bush wednesday endorsed an Independent panels recommendation to close 34 military installations in a Cost cutting move designed to reflect the nation s changing military. Bush said the report had his a total  although base closings can be painful on communities that Are hit Bush praised the commission for making its decisions a without reference to  commission chairman Jim Courter a former new Jersey congressman described Bush As a a enthusiastic about the report. The panel made one last minute change in the list fort Chaffee ark., once listed As a proposed closure was put in the realignment column instead because some Active duty personnel will remain at the facility. The commissions final list showed closures of 34 bases and laboratories and 48 realignments. The president signed the recommendation in a closed ceremony with the commission defense Secretary Dick Cheney and other High level administration officials. The report was sent to Congress which has 45 see bases on Page 10 Bush lifts sanctions against s. Washington apr president Bush wednesday lifted the 5-year-old economic sanctions against South Africa saying there had been a a profound transformation toward dismantling the racially segregated system of apartheid. Bush a acting in the face of opposition from some key democrats and the a act a said he expected continued Progress toward Equality. He added that an arms embargo would remain in effect. The president told a White House news conference that he had earlier spoken by Telephone with anti apartheid Leader Nelson Mandela to Tell him that lifting sanctions was a the right thing to  he said the United states would double its assistance to Black South africans from $40 million to $80 million for housing economic development and education programs. The sanctions were passed by hand in hand Congress in 1986 Over a veto by president Reagan. They prohibited the import of South african Coal textiles Iron steel and agricultural products. They also banned the Export of american crude Oil to South Africa and prevented South african airways from Hying into the United states. In the period since Mandela a release from prison South Africa has become increasingly reconciled to the International Community. And the Pace picked up considerably this week. On tuesday South Africa was cleared to rejoin olympic Competition. South african ambassador Harry Schwarz was expected to sign a nuclear non proliferation treaty in a state department ceremony later wednesday. A Progress has been slow and often painful a Bush said of the change in racial Laws in South Africa. A but Progress has definitely been made. A can t say that sanctions had no effects Quot on South africans racial Progress Over the last two years. A but far More important than sanctions was the fact that you had a Forward looking Man of or. . De Klerks stature who freed Mandela from jail and look other Steps. De Klerk is the president of South Africa. Even before Bush acted there was criticism that lilting sanctions would eliminate crucial leverage for future Progress in South Africa. In Houston a act president Benjamin Hooks said it would be a criminally irresponsible for Bush to lift the sanctions. A a in a not satisfied a that the South african government has released All its political prisoners said House speaker Thomas Foley a Wash. A the most important element a political rights a has not been  Bush acted under a Law that see Bush on Page 10 a soviet president Mikhail s. Gorbachev right congratulates former foe Boris Yeltsin after he was installed As the first elected president of the russian Republic. In a speech during Yeltsin a inauguration ceremonies on wednesday Gorbachev vowed to support the republics moves toward democracy. See Story on Page 3.army delaying proposed switch in mail coding by Crystal Laureano and Janet Howells-t1erney staff writers army officials in Europe have delayed until oct. I their Post offices switch to the new overseas address standardization and zip code alignment system. The new system which changes military address formats and some zip codes is scheduled to take effect monday. Military Post offices operated by the air Force and Navy in Europe will also begin using the new address system monday said spokesmen for the services. Overseas military commands outside Europe also will adopt the changes beginning monday. But army officials in Europe Don t want to add major mail changes to an already hectic period said army col. John Ponsch Kex of the military postal service Agency in Alexandria a. A a they re having a lot of turbulence Over there with units returning from the Middle East and drawing Down a Plaschkes said. A july 3 message to local commanders from army postal group Europe also cited Quot turbulence caused by ongoing summer rotations a As also among the reasons that Gen. Crosbie Saint Usa eur commander delayed the Start of the new address system in army Post offices in Europe. Despite widespread publicity of the july 15 Start Date the message said that a Susa eur will wait until the turbulence in personnel rotations has  although air Force personnel in Europe also face similar upheavals this summer officials decided to proceed see mail on Page 1.0