European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 28, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 2 b the stars and stripes wednesday August 28, 1991 at a glance a s v vows pc the debate rages about military women in combat despite their role in persian Gulf War. Servicemen Bers such As Marine Lance Chi. Stephanie Bowlin manned machine guns and flew aircraft during the War. See Story on pages 14-16. Economic havoc wreaked Hurricane Bob is the second most expensive Hurricane in . History. It caused $780 million in damage to insured property along the East coast according to insurance offi. Vials. A Page 4 top gun grounded Navy officials cancelled the current class of the famed top gun fighter Pilot school at Nas Miramar calif., after discovering tiny cracks in the f-16n Falcon training aircraft. A Page 5 base treaty signed the United states signed a bases pact with the Philippines to close Clark a but retain Subic Bay naval facilities for 10 More years. A Page 8 school year begins children across Europe return to department of defense dependents schools. A Page 10 a better place to work a Survey says state governments Are at the cutting Edge of workplace changes that help their employees juggle the competing demands of family and work according to a Survey released this week. A Page 17 Iran Abby Ann Landers .19 action line. .16 comics. 19-21 commentary. 13 crossword. .19 letters. .12 Money matters a .17 sports. 22-28 to listings. .27 weather. 11 plea from Page 1 agreement acceptable to All of the republics even those intent on Independence. All 15 republics have said they want to continue economic ties since their industries Are tightly linked and would suffer from a break in Trade. Gorbachev who had sometimes appeared weary and shaken in the Days immediately after the coup seemed rejuvenated tuesday As he spoke to lawmakers forceful in his speaking style and his gestures. He appeared increasingly testy about suggestions of some complicity on his part in the coup. A i wont submit to any blackmail and in a tired of being insulted a he said at one Point. Gorbachev who quit saturday As communist party chief and nationalized the party a assets also made it Clear he had not completely abandoned allegiance to the party which became the target of popular anger after the coup collapsed. He defended Ordinary communists saying they did not deserve to be blamed for the hard line Putsch. A i am against anticommunist hysteria in the country against the rank and file a he said sharply. And he continued to address the parliamentarians As  the soviet president also said the fact that the army had failed to Back the coup plotters showed the Impact of his six years of reforms. A perestroika has Given birth to a different army and if not for this different army they would have been Able to carry out their plans a he said. Gorbachev assured lawmakers some Steps were already being taken to address conditions that had helped make the coup possible. Kab troops estimated at 230,000, were being brought under the ministry of defense he said and a other practical issues have been dealt  Gorbachev said Boris n. Yeltsin the president of the russian federation agreed with him on the need for maintaining some form of Unity in the republics that make up the soviet Union. Yeltsin a Power has skyrocketed since he rallied nationwide resistance to the coup and he has emerged As Gorbachev a partner in government a perhaps even the senior partner. A your common Point is that the .s.r. Should be maintained As a Union of Sovereign states. Everyone is in favor of a unified defense a unified armed forces a Gorbachev said. Gorbachev held talks on economic Unity tuesday with Yeltsin Kirghizia a president Askar Zakaev and Kazakhstan president Nur Sultan  the presidents agreed to try to Complete negotiations on the economic agreement within 10 Days and to hold separate parallel negotiations in political Unity Zakaev said. He said an economic agreement a would be open to All republics that want to take part regardless of whether they want to be in the future Union or  in the forefront of the republics Independence drives have been the three Baltic states a Latvia Lithuania and Estonia. They have been pushing for Independence for three years and appear to be on the verge of winning it. Lithuania formally declared itself Independent in 1990, and Latvia and Estonia declared outright Independence during the coup attempt last week. The Ukraine declared Independence on saturday and was followed sunday by byelorussian. Georgia in the caucasus Region declared Independence March 31. Dec from Page 1 by after president Mikhail s. Gorbachev appealed to soviet lawmakers in Moscow to work together to hold the nation together. Even before the vote some dec members took Steps to forge diplomatic ties with the Baltic. German foreign minister Hans Dietrich Genscher said his nation had a a historical responsibility to the Baltic  the soviet Union forcibly annexed the Baltic under a 1939 pact with nazi Leader Adolf. Hitler. Denmark sent Otto Burch to Latvia on monday As the first ambassador to the Baltic in 50 years. A a it a not important to be the first but it is important to come As quickly As possible a Borch said. The dec members Are Belgium Denmark France Germany Greece Ireland Italy Luxembourg the Netherlands Britain Spain and Portugal. Sweden one of the few Western nations that recognized the soviet unions takeover of the Baltic declared that the republics were Sovereign and said swedish embassies will be established in the three republics thursday. Iceland on monday became the first nation to sign diplomatic agreements with the Baltic. Norway is sending ambassador Kjell Colding to the Baltic to set up embassies norwegian foreign minister Thor Vald Stoltenberg said tuesday after a signing ceremony in Oslo. Stoltenberg said prime minister Gro Harlem Brundtland would suggest that Trade relations be opened Between the Baltic and the european free Trade association a Norway Iceland Switzerland Sweden Finland and Austria. After meeting with Brundtland on tuesday foreign ministers from Baltic flew to Germany. A the beast is still fighting for its life in Moscow and we must be prepared to face new coup attempts and be ready to defend democracy a estonian foreign minister Lennart Meri said. Blood from Page 1 gency a yet. But Banks could be drained at any moment. One Accident could use As much As 100 pints of donated blood Hatten said. Moreover 140 pints of the company a blood which is Good for 35 Days expired tuesday. A it s a perpetual problem and right now its been pretty slow a Hatten said. A a we re still supplying blood to operation provide Comfort and we have a constant need at the hospitals in the  Hatten suspects hot summer weather and the end of. The persian Gulf War have caused the slump in blood supplies which the Bank keeps for patients of surgery Auto accidents or even an aborted space shuttle Mission Landing in Europe. Donations also May have sagged because of rumours that those stationed in saudi Arabia received vaccines that make them ineligible to give blood Hatten said. But those Are just rumours he said adding that most of those who were stationed there should be Able to donate. A the majority of people who have been in saudi Arabia should wait 60 Days before coming in a he said. A but they should let us evaluate  Hatten said the recent donations have been just enough to make the 250 pints a week the company needs to replace the blood before it expires. The Bank a Supply swelled to an easy breathing 400 pints with the outbreak of the Gulf War but has declined despite donor incentives such As a two Day pass or release from physical training. Hatten said the Community command groups which offer the incentives and advertise for the drives could do More. A if communities Ever need blood the Only Way they re going to get it is if somebody donates a he said. A there is no  the Headquarters of the 655th in Lan Stuhl takes donations any time in building 3703. Others taking donations Are Community hospitals in a naval station Rota and Torrejon a Spain. A Naples Italy and Nas Simonella in Sicily. A shape in Mons Belgium. A Raf Lakenheath and Raf upper Heyford in England. A in Ciurlik a Turkey. A Niernberg Frankfurt Wiesbaden and Berlin in Germany. Prospective donors should Call ahead for times. 13 army communities win $1.7 million Heidelberg Germany a thirteen army communities in Europe will receive $1.7 million in prizes for their contributions toward improving the Quality of life for soldiers civilian employees and their families . Army Europe officials said tuesday. Wiesbaden Heidelberg Baum older and the 7th army training come in Germany and Vicenza Italy won top honors in Europe us army communities of excellence. Each Community will receive $140,000. A Fulda Germany was awarded a $75,000 prize As the commands most improved Community. Bremerhaven Karlsruhe Bamberg and Kaiserslautern in Germany received honorable mentions but no Cash awards in the communities of excellence Competition. A of the communities will compete army wide for a share of $9 million in prizes. Cash awards of $95,000 each will also go to communities in a Competition designed by the army in Europe to encourage excellence in special services. Pir Masens Germany was Given a Usa eur focus award for its housing referral services Wiesbaden for its youth services 7th army training come for its programs for is soldiers Niernberg Germany for its c Ian personnel services and Augsburg it Many for financial services from its h finance support unit. Usa eur will award kaisers laut Heidelberg Frankfurt Wiesbaden i Bronn and bad Kreuz Nach in Gem $75,000 each for their accomplish in improving productivity and Quality. Wiesbaden and Heidelberg com cities Are returning to the worlds army communities of excellence Cor tuition having won $1 million each year