European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 24, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 2 c the stars and stripes tuesday december 24, 1991 at a glance a nil la a or a it in \ 4 the first Page of an Early manuscript of a visit from Saint Nicho task a poem first heard on Christmas eve 1822. See Story on pages 14-15. Candidates blast Bush two democratic presidential aspirants charged that president Bush has shirked responsibility and a is making the american people feel like  a Page 4 2-time Nasa head Dies James c. Fletcher who reluctantly agreed to head Nasa for a second time after the challenger Accident in 1986, died of cancer. A Page 7 european vacation sours the a Holiday of a lifetime has gone sour for 95 South asians who say what they planned As a grand tour of Europe has turned into weeks of frustration in impoverished Albania. A Page 8olympic committee meets members of the Winter olympics organizing committee met to assess the Impact of a heavy weekend snowfall and torrential Rains that caused an Avalanche on the new olympic downhill course. A Page 9christmas spirit urged Letitia Baldrige a widely read authority on social etiquette says its a Good time to demonstrate the spirit of Santa Claus rather than Scrooge if people can afford it. A Page 17 Index Abby Ann Landers. 20 comics. 18-20 commentary. Faces a no places. 10 letters. Money matters. Sports. 21-28 to listings. Weather. Correction because of an error by the associated press a front Page photo in mondays paper incorrectly identified senior airman Jacqueline Bridges of the 4th Mobile Aerial port so Rhein main a Germany. Of plane loaded with food for muscovites lands in storm Moscow up a a giant air Force c-5a Galaxy plane carrying 150,000 pounds of bulk food supplies left Over from the persian Gulf War landed in a Moscow snowstorm Early sunday in a Relief Mission to help stave off hunger in russians largest City. A a we la do everything to make sure that the food reaches those who need it most a russian federation social defense minister Ella Panfilova told a news conference As the plane was being unloaded in heavy wet Snow. The cargo which arrived from Pisa Italy where it had been in storage contained excess food from the Gulf War. The food was already inspected packaged and ready for delivery to 16 institutions a schools hospitals orphanages retirement Homes and other charitable organizations. Moscow was the second Stop in a two part delivery organized by the defense department last Friday the same c-5a delivered persian Gulf surplus food to St. Petersburg russians second largest City said Robert k. Wolthuis Deputy assistant Secretary of defense for global affairs. . Officials said the two shipments were Worth $400,000. The plane brought 27 pallets of food to Moscow and to St. Petersburg. Each pallet contained a variety of Staples such As sugar Rice bread shortening potatoes and Salt As Well As 1,200 packaged dinner entrees with fruits and vegetables a a total of 64,800 dinners for the two cities plus another 21,600 breakfasts. The St. Petersburg and Moscow deliveries were arranged after Secretary of state James a. Baker Iii said earlier this month that former soviet republics which encourage democracy and embark on Market reforms should receive help from the West noted Jim Collins Deputy chief of Mission in the . Embassy. The food arrived at key time in russians economic development As a dramatic increase in food prices is expected. On Jan. 2, state Price controls will be removed and prices allowed to Rise to for Market Levels. There has been a lot of concern about Russia going hungry this Winter and about what can be done to feed people Panfilova praised american efforts to help the Newborn Commonwealth of Independent states and said a we Hope that the Tempo which was set by the american Side will remain  the United states has shipped 18 million tons of food to soviet republics the largest amount of any Western country and made available $4 billion in food credit guarantees for 1991. A one . Official said these weekend food deliveries were just the beginning and that another $165 million in humanitarian Aid was also earmarked for delivery soon. Violence from Page 1 meeting monday Between Mikhail s. Gorbachev and Boris n. Yeltsin. Gorbachev the soviet president and Yeltsin the russian federation president discussed the Transfer to Yeltsin of the briefcase that controls the country a 27,000 nuclear weapons said a Gorbachev aide. Vladimir Tumarkin a Gorbachev spokesman also told the associated press that Gorbachev is expected to make an announcement about his resignation As soviet president by wednesday at the latest. In another development Yeltsin spoke by Telephone with president Bush for 25 minutes monday to report on the formation of the new Commonwealth of Independent states and to ask for diplomatic recognition for his Republic. Press Secretary Marlin Fitzwater told reporters he expected Bush to act a relatively soon in according diplomatic recognition to Russia. During their conversation Bush congratulated Yeltsin on the formation of the Commonwealth made up of 11 former soviet republics and reiterated . Support for the new Alliance replacing the soviet Union. He said that Yeltsin a asked for recognition of the russian Republic and the presi be consulting with administration officials and . Allies on the timing. As fighting continued in Georgia Gam Sak Hurdia told the British broadcasting corp. In a Telephone interview monday Higgins from Page 1 that the resurgent political tensions it Georgia May be linked to the common wealth a creation but said he could not Salt How. A it is not Clear a he said. He also said he was considering having Georgia join the body. A i am not opposed. Am studying this question a he said the violence broke out in Tbilisi Georgia a capital on sunday the Daj after u former soviet republics formed i Commonwealth of Independent states to replace the former soviet Union. Gamsa Hurdia a former political dissident has seen his Power base erode since his landslide Victory in Georgia a first Dilt rect presidential elections in May. Critics accuse him of closing Down newspapers denying the opposition Access to television refusing to release political prisoners and stifling the ossetian minority in Northern Georgia. Man Marlin Fitzwater said that while a we do think it was him a a formal identification will wait until the body is returned to Dover fab del., the receiving Point for service members killed overseas. Higgins remains were expected to be flown to Dover on tuesday a . Defense department spokesman said. Once the remains have been identified and prepared for burial an honors ceremony will be held at Andrews fab my and burial will be at the Quantico Marine base in Virginia said the spokesman. The organization of the oppressed on Earth claimed on july 31, 1989, that it hanged Higgins a 44-year-old Vietnam War Veteran from Danville ky., in retaliation for israelis abduction of a shiite Muslim cleric. Sheik Abdul Karim Obeid. The group released a videotape showing a hanged Man and said it was Higgins. . Sources in Lebanon have said they believed Higgins died of torture in december 1988 after an escape  from Page 1 in the former soviet Union vary widely from Republic to Republic. A in some places they needed food other places clothing other places Medicine other places shelter. In some cases we can provide help in other cases our allies can provide  although Kim Mitt said he fully expected american Servic members in Kimmitt Europe would be involved in the Relief operation a the extent. Needs to be discussed within the nato  the first Relief shipments have already taken place with both c-5s and c-14is taking food to the former soviet Union 1 think there have also been some Relief flights that have gone to East and cd tial Hopo. 1 m sure those involve american troops out of Europe in some fashion or another a including logistical support he said. H Kimmitt 44, succeeded Vernon Walters As ambassador to Germany in a Festl s3, ast assi5nmcftt was n the state department As undersecretary for political affairs said that the i Ole of the  embassy in Germany will be to work closely with the German government a was we have All along with the transition inside the soviet Union to discuss the political and economic dimensions particularly a he said. If we get into a situation where there is More Active involvement of . Service men and women in Germany then i think we ii work with them As we did last by he Erato Quot Al issues requested it the . Military commands which have in Cipal responsibility he said 1 he Relief operation Caps a year in which to la United Stales has been Redemis Legits squinty needs much More broadly than Dunn Etc cold War Kimmitt said. X 1 think that in the new world that we ll0, we he Lac 0 think of Security in  the military and a to Len suns Wili by important. But 1 i Ink n the future economic ecological a my Kii Lymal dimensions will similarly be important a he said. A i done to know where humanitarian assistance fits in that regard. But certainly i think that just As the breakup of the old soviet Union has contributed to a safer world for us and for our children by the same Token helping democracies succeed by providing necessary humanitarian assistance. Helps contribute to the Security not just of Western Europe but to people throughout the  during the persian Gulf War and its aftermath particularly the Relief operation for thousands of kurd trapped in Northern Iraq a your military has shown a splendid ability to adapt to. Any Mission that the political leadership chooses to give to  however Kimmitt added that the military a role in Relief efforts should not come at the expense of its primary role which is a to be prepared to fight if necessary and thereby deter  but such missions can certainly complement the military a primary Mission he said. A when one looks at deterrence in this Modem age if we can contribute to our Security and to deterrence by executing other missions then i think it is greatly to our