European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 16, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 8 the stars and stripes tuesday july 18, 1991 . May abandon Clark chief bases Manila Philippines apr the United states May give up Volcano damaged Clark a but still wants to keep a military presence in the Philippines the chief . Negotiator said monday. Negotiator Richard Armitage arrived in Manila to resume talks on the future of Clark and Subic Bay naval facilities whose leases expire sept. 16. The talks were suspended two months before mount Pinatubo began erupting june 9, forcing the . Military to evacuate More than 17,000 family members and troops from Clark and Subic. Pinatubo continued spewing Ash monday and scientists fear the Onset of the Rainy season will unleash devastating avalanches because of tons of debris on the volcanoes slopes. Scientists said the Volcano could continue erupting for up to three years. . Officials have said the continuing threat posed by the Volcano leaves the bases future in doubt. But the chief philippine negotiator foreign Secretary Raul Mang Lapus said Manila May demand even More Money to renew the leases. Last month Mang Lapus said he would not reduce the compensation demand despite damage to Clark and May actually press for More because a we suffered More than the  he also suggested last week that if Washington wants to return Clark it should first clean up the damage from Pinatubo. Armitage said he had indicated to Mang Lapus that the future of Clark is a a questionable and noted that continuing emissions of Ash would pose a Hazard to aviation at the air base. But he added a we continue to believe that an appropriate . Military presence in the Philippines is very much in the interests of both of our nations and is welcomed by other countries in the  Armitage said Many in Congress were questioning the Wisdom of spending Money to rebuild and maintain Clark and Subic at a time when budget cuts Are forcing the Pentagon to close bases at Home. A my answer is that despite the devastation of mount Pinatubo the strategic rationale for these facilities remains valid a Armitage said. Mang Lapus and Armitage were expected to meet privately monday before talks formally get under Way tuesday. . And philippine negotiators began talks on a new philippine nuns and devotees Puli a statue from volcanic debris in Poon Bato near mount Pinatubo. Agreement in May 1990. However they failed to reach an agreement because of differences Over compensation and the length of a new Extension. The Philippines had demanded $825 million a year half in Trade concessions and debt Relief for a seven year stay but Washington offered $360 million annually for a 10 to 12-year agreement. . Officials had expressed frustration Over Manga apus haggling and seemed Uncertain whether Manila actually wanted an agreement. At one Point Armitage accused Mang Lapus of Quot Cash Register diplomacy a or reducing All .-philippine relations to a question of dollars and cents. Black Cook illustration prompts recall Tokyo apr a government issued Magazine has been recalled because it carried an illustration of a Black Cook with exaggerated facial features that could be seen As offensive japanese officials said monday a thick lipped Sambo like character with huge round eyes holding a frying pan and wearing a chefs hat saying a a it a a Good idea to draw handmade posters a was shown on a Page of a monthly Magazine called Post 21 issued by the ministry of posts and telecommunications. The illustration accompanied an article in the May Issue. Some 100,000 copies were sent to workers at about 20,000 Post offices nationwide said Jiro Okamoto a ministry official and a Magazine editor. The article urged postal workers to make posters to advertise the Sale of postcards that japanese traditionally Send As summer greetings. Okamoto said he did not realize the illustration might be considered derogatory to Blacks. But an Osaka Post office worker Active in promoting civil rights pointed out that the illustration could be interpreted As racist he said. Quot personally i feel that the response was a bit exaggerated but i also understand that Many people May interpret the image in a different Way a he said. A the recall was inevitable and  the magazines which were sent to the Post offices in May and june have been ordered destroyed. Two years ago the postal ministry ordered the recall of leaflets advertising Watermelon from hokkaido the main Northern Island. The and used the word a Trombo a derogatory term for Blacks said Toshinaga Nishiura another ministry official. The leaflets had been distributed to Post offices All Over Japan in the summer of 1989, he said. World Israel to lift sanctions imposed on s. Africa from wire reports. Jerusalem a Israel decided sunday to lift economic and cultural sanctions against South Africa the Cabinet decision was unanimous israeli radio said. It came four Days after president Bush lifted . Sanctions following the abolition of South Africa s last Maior apartheid Taw which classified citizens on the basis of race. The Cabinet did not discuss lifting military sanctions imposed on South Africa the radio said. The proposal to waive the other sanctions was raised by foreign minister David Levy with backing from prime minister Yitzhak Shamir it said. Israel traded heavily with South Africa until March 1987, when the Cabinet approved a ban on military contracts with the Pretoria government and restricted cultural ties. The action came after the . Congress made Clear that israelis $1.8 billion in annual military Aid could be jeopardized by its Trade with South  snails seized Sydney Australia a police seized 10 live giant african snails a each As Large As a Telephone a that had been hidden inside a nigerian passengers Luggage a quarantine and inspection service spokesman announced monday. The passenger claimed he intended to use the snails seized sunday As food the spokesman said. The animals will be destroyed and their shells will be saved to warn the Public of the danger posed by the snails. The snails weighing about 1.1 pounds each have a unique conical Shell that is sought by collectors. But the creatures Are considered the most damaging land Snail in the world attacking More than 500 different types of plants the spokesman said. They can also act As a Carrier of human diseases including a form of  rate concerns Iran Nicosia Cyprus a confronted with one of the worlds fastest growing populations Iran has decided that newborns will not be eligible for subsidies and other benefits if their parents already have three children. Tehran television quoted health minister Reza Malekzadeh on sunday As saying the new policy will take effect a year from now. He said the government does not approve of abortions. But he said several reasonably priced or free contraceptive methods Are widely available. Iran a islamic government banned contraceptives soon after the 1979 revolution. During the 1980-88 War with Iraq iranians were encouraged to have More children and were Given extra food rations As incentives. But alarmed by a population growing faster than China or India the government changed the rules several years ago. Iran a 58.5 million population had grown at a rate of 3.9 percent in the past decade Malekzadeh said. At that rate Iran a population would double every 20  Charlie site gearing for business by Ian Johnson the Baltimore Sun Berlin a for decades checkpoint Charlie was an enduring Symbol of the cold War. Today it is the proposed site of an All american office and retail Center and part of the Quot billion Mark Miles a symbols of a new Era in Eastern Europe. Mark Palmer a 52-year-old banker and Developer who is a former . Ambassador to Hungary Heads one of the most ambitious projects along the bustling Friedrich Strasse. His new York based company the Central european development corp., plans a million Square foot development featuring . Stores and corporate offices where checkpoint Charlies guard Booth once stood. Quot there was initial hesitation but More and More american companies Are com ing a said Palmer cedi a a managing director. Still cold War remnants present problems for any company. Property rights Are often in dispute and a cumbersome bureaucracy can delay development. And new investors May be held responsible for cleaning up past environmental damage. As a recent report by the american chamber of Commerce in Germany stated a investors Are not willing to build on a piece of property when they done to know who owns it the report noted that Many Large foreign companies have expressed interest in moving into Eastern Germany. But few a with the exception of coca cola and Rolls Royce a have followed through with Concrete investments. The report called for changes in the Laws of the five state governments in Eastern Germany. Its proposals urged tax incentives state responsibility for environmental problems at factories and relaxed restrictions that keep stores closed from noon saturday to monday morning. Much of the new development in Berlin has been focused along Fried Ric Strasse a major North South Street. The area was Long neglected As a Border outpost bristling with guards and barbed wire and walled off with Concrete. Now its becoming a major business Center that boasts some of berlins most expensive real estate. One coming attraction is galleries Lafayette a French department store. The site for cedi a a $250 million proposed project is now a Large paved lot. The Crossings famous Allied guard Booth a where . And soviet tanks faced off for hours during a 1953 workers uprising a has been sent to a museum. The East German shelter and office at the Border crossing have been removed. All that remains Are a few pieces of the Berlin Wall and a watch Tower which have been preserved As monuments. Cedi wants to fill this Hole in berlins landscape with four buildings designed by . Architects and has received the support of City officials. Several . Companies which have not yet been identified because the projects details Haye not been made final will have their Central or Eastern european Headquarters at the project Palmer said. Construction could begin As Early As fall