European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 26, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 10 a the stars and stripes thursday september 26, 1991soviet expert warns of nuclear launch elimination of both sides tactical weapons urged Washington apr the possibility of an unauthorized launch of soviet Short Range nuclear weapons is a a real threat to regional Security despite elaborate anti launch controls a leading soviet arms expert said. Gennadi a. Pavlov who served for 30 years with the military command that operates All land based soviet nuclear weapons told a Senate panel tuesday that he saw almost no Chance of an illicit launch of Long Range or strategic soviet weapons. But he said the risk was higher for Short Range or tactical nuclear weapons mainly because the military units that operate those weapons Are More autonomous than their counterparts in charge of the strategic nuclear Arsenal. A there is a possibility of an unauthorized use of these nuclear weapons a Pavlov told the Senate foreign relations subcommittee on european affairs. He said the tactical weapons a indeed pose a real threat to Security a although they done to threaten the United states because they can to reach . Soil. He urged that All american and soviet tactical nuclear arms be eliminated. The question of who controls the soviet nuclear Force has become an Issue with the collapse of communism in the soviet Union and the increased Independence of the soviet states where nuclear weapons Are located. The soviets have roughly 15,000 warheads for tactical nuclear weapons. In a prepared statement to the Senate panel Pavlov provided an unusually detailed explanation of the Means by which soviet nuclear weapons Are Safe guarded against unauthorized use. Pavlov described a multilayered system of control that comes into play when an Early warning system detects a missile attack against the soviet Union. Once alerted the chief of the general staff and the commanders of strategic nuclear forces jointly create a a a preliminary order or command that informs troops there is a possibility of an unauthorized use of these soviet Short Range nuclear weapons Gennadi a Pavlov of a possible nuclear attack Pavlov said through an interpreter. In the next step a a a permission command must be Given. That command comes from the soviet president the minister of defense and the general staff chief. In turn the command is sent to the service chiefs allowing use of Only those nuclear forces that had previously been notified by the preliminary command. Next comes a a a direct command which is sent by the general staff chief and the service chiefs to the launch Crews that control the weapons. Only those Crews designated by the earlier permission command can implement the direct command. H a finally after the direct command has been verified As authentic the launch Crew forms and sends to the nuclear weapons a command arming the missiles. If verified by a special device on the missile launchers the missiles Are fired Pavlov said. Bruce Blair a leading . Expert on nuclear command and control called the soviet system  a their safeguards Are More stringent than those of any other nuclear Power including the United states a Blair told the committee adding that a the danger of unauthorized launch of strategic forces appears to be so Remote As to be  Pavlov said the soviet nuclear system that is least vulnerable to unauthorized launch is the silo based intercontinental ballistic missile which is the mainstay of the soviet nuclear Force. He said such tactical nuclear weapons As artillery shells Short Range missiles and torpedoes Are most vulnerable. Sen. Joseph r. Biden jr., d-del., the subcommittees chairman told Pavlov and Blair that he intended this week to propose the creation of a joint .-soviet commission of civilian and military experts to study ways of strengthening nuclear weapons controls for both countries. The commission also would recommend ways to quickly and radically reduce . And soviet nuclear arsenals. N. Korea wants nuclear weapons for Protection Seoul South Korea apr North Korea has told China it intends to have nuclear weapons to protect itself against Western nations intent on destroying socialism a newspaper said wednesday. The Joo Ngang daily news quoted an unnamed High level source in Beijing As saying North korean officials made the remark in a secret meeting with China after the failed soviet coup last month. There was no immediate response from China the paper said. China the soviet Union Japan and the United states have expressed concern Over intelligence reports that North Korea is developing the capacity to produce nuclear weapons. North Korea is the most isolated and reclusive of the worlds remaining communist nations which also include China Vietnam and Cuba. China is its closest ally. In a Story dateline Hong Kong the National newspaper said Kim Yong Sun senior North korean workers party Secretary for International affairs met chinese officials in Pyongyang shortly after the soviet coup failed. The paper said Kim told chinese officials that North Korea a has decided to possess nuclear weapons to preserve socialism in North  the paper said the North koreans called Possession of nuclear weapons  it was unclear whether North Korea indicated that it already had such weapons was developing them or intended in the future to build a nuclear Arsenal. A particularly after the collapse of communism in the soviet Union that a the Only Way to Stop the . And other Western efforts to tear Down socialism a the paper quoted North korean officials As saying. North korean leaders have rejected democratic reforms sweeping other communist and socialist nations including their longtime ally the soviet Union. North korean radio broadcasts warn against alien ideological trends and have accused Western a a imperialists of plot Ting to overthrow socialism. North Korea reneged on a Promise earlier this month to sign a safeguards agreement allowing International inspections of its nuclear facilities. It said the United states first must remove nuclear weapons allegedly stored in South Korea. Washington neither confirms nor denies the presence of nuclear weapons there. Both Korea joined the United nations on sept. 17, and South Korea hoped it would be a first step toward opening the reclusive North to the outside world and easing tension Between the hostile Korea. North koreans Premier will address the United nations next week. Yeltsin taking off for 2-week Vest Moscow apr Boris n. Yeltsin will take up to two weeks off from work to a a rest beginning wednesday soviet Media reported Days after the russian Leader missed two Days in parliament because of a heart ailment. There was no official word from the 60-year-old Yeltsin who has emerged As the country a most popular politician after leading opposition to the failed aug. 18-21 coup by communist hard liners. But rumours circulated that the russian federation Leader was either fatigued or simply leaving to escape criticism about wide ranging decrees he issued during and since the attempted takeover. Soviet television said Yeltsin would a travel for a rest wednesday but it did no to reveal his destination. Officials have said an unspecified heart ailment forced Yeltsin to miss a session of the supreme soviet legislature last week where he was supposed to deliver a speech. The acting chairman of the russian legislature Ruslan Kha Bulatov told lawmakers Yeltsin was not seriously ill. Aides and officials close to Yeltsin also dismissed suggestions that the president suffers from any serious illness and attributed Yeltsin a sudden sickness to his strenuous work schedule. On Friday Yeltsin travelled to the caucasus mountains to mediate a cease fire in the disputed area of Magorno Karabash claimed by both Armenia and Azerbaijan. He returned to Moscow on tuesday and later met the visiting president of the new York Federal Reserve Bank Gerald Corrigan to discuss financial and banking reforms the Tass news Agency said. Two of a kind a Man and a 6-foot Leopard Seal from Antarctica find there a space aplenty on the Beach at Little Bay in Syd the National Parks and wildlife at the seals have Strong jaws and Sharp