European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 24, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Tuesday december 24, 1991 the stars and stripes c Page 3germany recognizes Slovenia Croatia Zagreb Yugoslavia a Germany on monday became the first major country to recognize Croatia and Slovenia defying warnings from other Western leaders that the move will cause Yugoslavia a brutal War to spread. Media in Croatia a Nemesis Serbia accused Germany of trying to dominate Europe. Ethnic serbs backed by the serb dominated Federal army have been battling croatian secession since late june. A Germany for the third time this Century assumed the right to Chart the map of Europe a radio Belgrade commented alluding to the two world wars in which serbs opposed Germany. A Europe has been made a  Germany believes that recognizing breakaway republics will pressure Serbia to Stop the Battles by convincing it of the futility of fighting Over secession and a delay in doing so would Reward their aggression. Its pressure for Quick recognition led the european Community last week to say it would Grant recognition on Jan. 15 to any yugoslav Republic that met human rights criteria. However the United states . Secretary general Javier Perez de Cuellar and some other european officials say the move will Only Worsen the current conflict. Diplomats say Serbia would feel it had nothing left to lose. In other developments sporadic fighting was reported around Croatia where thousands have died. A local croatian military official reported the capture of a key Village in Central Croatia that had been a serb stronghold. Also a in Eastern Croatia defenders and the few civilians left prepared for Christmas. In Nus tar. South of Osisek a Large Pine tree felled by artillery was decorated with ornaments from destroyed Homes. Croats Are mostly roman Catholic and defenders said they Likely would have their Midnight Christmas service in a bomb shelter. Three Trees were decorated in the Center of Ostiek. A Croatia issued a new currency the croatian Dinar to replace the yugoslav Dinar and told residents to Exchange their Money before Jan. 1. A the parliament in Slovenia adopted a new Constitution that officials said will be the foundation of an Independent Republic. A Serbia a parliament dominated by serbian president Slobodan Milosevic a socialists confirmed Premier Radoman Bozovic and a new Cabinet by a vote of 149-15. Bozovic is considered close to the serbian Leader and he chose a top yugoslav army general Marko Nesovanovic for his defense minister. German president Richard von Weizsaecker on monday sent letters to croatian president Franjo Tadjman and slovenian president Milan Kucan granting recognition. Formal ties will be established Jan. 15. A German foreign ministry spokesman in Bonn who spoke on condition of anonymity said Croatia and Slovenia a have met All the conditions for recognition and there was no reason to delay  Iceland and the Baltic Are the Only other countries to have recognized Slovenia and  ahead says expert on soviets the Wax figure of soviet president Mikhail s. Gorbachev whose political eclipse is predicted is removed Friday from the group of world leaders at the Madame Tussaud waxworks museum in Amsterdam Netherlands. By de Reavis staff writer is the end of the soviet Union a reason to mourn or break out the Champagne a neither a said professor Wolfgang Leonhard in a Telephone interview from his Home in Hanscheid Eifel Germany. A a it a a tremendous step Forward albeit fraught with  Leonhard one of Germany Stop experts on the soviets was born in Vienna Austria but emigrated to Moscow with his Mother a staunch communist in 1935. He was educated in elite Moscow language and comintern communist International schools and was a member of the National committee for a free Germany which became the nucleus of the ruling nomenclature in the former East Germany after world War ii. Leonhard arrived in Berlin in 1945, where he worked in the agitation and propaganda Section of the Central committee of the ruling communist party sed. In 1949, Leonhard fled the East to West Germany via Yugoslavia. Leonhard taught the history of the soviet Union at Yale University from 1966 to 1989. He also taught at Oxford and at the University of Kiel in Germany. Leonhard has published numerous books on the soviet Union since leaving the East. Leonhard called the end of the soviet Union a a time for thoughtful happiness. I must admit i am full of sceptical happiness. You can to strike out 70 years of dictatorial past with one stroke which is what some reformers Are trying to do. I wish they a be a bit slower and thoughtful on the economic  Leonhard said he ruled out the possibility of another attempt at a National coup such As there was in August. But he did not Rule out local coups in various republics. Above All Leonhard said he did believe we were going to see hunger riots and great social unrest in the coming months particularly in the Large cities. Another expert on soviet affairs noted the historical aspects of the events. A we Are not Only witnessing the end of the soviet Union but also of the czarist Empire which began in 1700,�?� said Falk Domsdorf senior researcher in the soviet affairs Section of the think tank in Ebenau sen on Lake Sharnberg. A it has fallen apart and deservedly  but Domsdorf said he was pessimistic about the immediate future of the new Constellation of republics. A i can to see any creative Power in office or on the horizon. The near and not very Distant future will be chaotic. But my Long Range Hope is that the creation of smaller republics will allow these Peoples to live As they wish and fashion their own  Domsdorf called the soviet military a social problem not a Security problem. Quot there a less danger of them attacking anyone but what will happen to them when they arc dismissed a he said. A a they la be joining the breadline and adding to social  Domsdorf called the soviet nuclear plants the greatest danger to us by far. A the were unsafe from the Start and Are becoming progressively so. They Are run by specialists who Arentt getting paid and Many have walked off the Job without being  Domsdorf said he thought the new asian republics would demonstrate their Independence from Moscow by Only cooperating with the newly formed slavic Union at a Bare minimum. They will jealously guard their sovereignty. A a that a Why its vital that the West react by recognizing and helping these new republics. Not just with Money but with know How and advice. We germans certainly cannot afford to do it alone. Any help we give is not Only Good for these republics but also for our own futures. We have a vested interest in ensuring these republics develop along democratic lines a Domsdorf said. German military circles Are far less optimistic about developments in the former soviet Union than official Bonn. A a there a a number of problem areas that Western politicians have put on Back burners which we defense people done to want to underestimate a said a military expert in a Telephone interview in Bonn. The expert who did no to want his name used said the West is now faced with great uncertainties in the East particularly from the slavic Muslim factions. Quot and on the Muslim Side there a a grave problem of their connection with the Muslim countries of the Middle  the expert said he could not confirm reports in the French daily be Monde that soviet strategic nuclear weapons were being sold in the near East at reduced prices. Be Monde attributed its information to Western intelligence sources. The expert said he also was worried about the Chc Mictl weapons stored in the soviet republics. A they seem to have been forgotten in most Dis cushions about the dangers of soviet