European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 31, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse Tuesday december 31, 1991 the stars and stripes b Page 3union unifies command for nuclear arms Minsk Belarus apr leaders of the new Commonwealth of Independent states agreed monday to establish a unified command Over nuclear weapons but could not resolve differences Over conventional military forces a source said. Another meeting of the former soviet republics will be needed next year to decide the remaining issues although no Date was set according to the source at the Commonwealth meeting who spoke on condition of anonymity. The 11 leaders agreed to keep former soviet defense minister Yevgeny Shaposhnikov As military commander a in control of nuclear forces a for another two months the source said. Shaposhnikov was named interim commander at a Commonwealth meeting dec. 21. The failure to appoint Shaposhnikov As a permanent Commonwealth commander and to forge an Accord on conventional forces reflected the divisions among Commonwealth members on the sensitive Issue of control Over armed forces. Russia Ukraine Moldova Armenia and Azerbaijan have said they want to form their own armies. Belarus announced it will free prices on most consumer goods Friday the Day after Russia takes a similar step. The a move a major step toward a Market russian president Boris n. Yeltsin gestures while answering questions prior to meeting Economy is expected to dramatically in with leaders of the other republics. Belorussian president Stanislav Sushkevich far crease prices and could trigger unrest left is the Only other Leader identified. Among russians already hard pressed to buy adequate food supplies. Ukrainian president Leonid Kravchuk said free prices would not take effect in Ukraine until Jan. 10, and he said he was dissatisfied with the economic policies of Russia and the Commonwealth the inter fax news Agency reported. Kravchuk accused Russia of violating the Commonwealth agreement by not providing enough Ruble banknotes to Ukraine to Cope with Price increases. Another area where the leaders could not agree was Over the ethnic conflict in the mostly armenian enclave of Magorno Karabash inside Azerbaijan. Russian president Boris n. Yeltsin wanted to raise the Issue but Azerbaijan president Ayaz Muta Libov blocked discussion the source said. On dec. 21, the four former soviet republics with nuclear bases a Russia Belarus Ukraine and Kazakhstan a agreed to a United command Over the nations 27,000 nuclear warheads. Mondays Accord affirmed that pact with All 11 Commonwealth members ratifying the pact. The Only other major agreement reached monday in Minsk the capital of Belarus and the new Commonwealth concerned its administrative bodies. The source said the 11 leaders created two councils a one of Commonwealth presidents and the other of Commonwealth prime Fleet shows flexibility in med by Gary Miller Mediterranean Bureau on Board the aircraft Carrier Forrestal the outgoing Mediterranean Battle Force has proved ways the Navy can respond to reduced defense budgets and a shrinking Fleet according to the Navy a. 6th Fleet commander. The aircraft Carrier Forrestal and the cruisers destroyers frigates and support ships that comprised the group returned to the United states Friday. The Carrier America and another flotilla have replaced Forrestal and its escorts in the Mediterranean. But As the Navy experiences budget cuts that will Force draw Downs of people and ships another Carrier might not always be available for Mediterranean operations said vice adm. William a. Owens the Fleet commander. Even when the 6th Fleet does have a Carrier future situations might keep it in one area for months As provide Comfort kept Forrestal in the Eastern Mediterranean. At the same time problems might develop elsewhere that require a earner or something very much like it. To prepare for such possibilities the Forrestal and its Battle group conducted a variety of exercises to test various ships ability to perform some of a carriers missions and test a Carrier in at least one non traditional role. The maritime action group consisting of a submarine and two surface ships such As destroyers or cruisers proved it could stand in for a Carrier in certain situations. Operating with warning and control aircraft or similar facilities ashore the group proved it could provide air defense of an area. In some cases the group could even launch a strike with Tomahawk cruise missiles from the groups submarine or the surface ships if they carry such Wear Owens the 6th Fleet destroyer Deyo proves its suitability for a starring role in a Mediterranean Mission. S4s Gary Miller Onty. During operation Hammerlock the multipurpose amphibious assault ship Wasp took on additional av-8b harriers and anti submarine warfare helicopters to see How it would fare As a Carrier substitute. The Wasp can carry up to 42 aircraft less than half the planes in an air Wing aboard a Carrier. Nearly half those aircraft can be harriers vertical Takeoff jets designed to provide close in support for marines Landing on a Beach. While harriers can be used to defend the Wasp they Are much slower than most intercept aircraft and Lack the sensors and armaments to completely fulfil that role. The jump jets can also conduct strikes like bombers but carry far less munitions than a-6 intruders. The wasps limitations As a Carrier replacement emphasize the importance of joint operations in future contingencies said rear adm. Walter Davis jr., commander of the Battle Force. A a there a nothing to say that depending on where you Are the air Force do part of the Mission a providing the group s air cover for instance a a Davis said. To ensure the air Force would be ready to fill in for parts of a Carrier air Wing joint training was another aspect of the Forrestal Battle groups Mediterranean deployment Owens said. A five groups of air Force officers came out and slaved on the Carrier for three to five Days. Tivey flew in our planes and saw How we operate a said capt. Stanley f. Bloyer commander of the Forrestall a air Wing. Some of the Forrestall a pilots and aircraft also visited air bases in Germany Bloyer said. Quot we re getting better at joint operations. Its something we have to work on All the time a Owens said. Working closely with the army and air Force As Well As allies military and exercising flexibility will be important concepts for the 6th fleets future Owens said. While Hammerlock tested the wasps ability to replace a Carrier operation Safe Haven showed a Carrier could stand in for amphibious ships if people had to be evacuated from an area devastated by a civil strife. Such missions Are usually Given to amphibious ships because just As they can move Large numbers of marines ashore on helicopters and boats during amphibious landings they can bring hundreds or thousands of civilians out to sea to protect from a civil War. Amphibious ships recently evacuated civilians during crises in Liberia and Somalia. Because such vessels Are traditionally assigned evacuation missions the Navy a corporate knowledge about such operations is in the amphibious Community. During Safe Haven those experts shared their knowledge with Carrier sailors. A the presence of a Carrier is going to be pretty secure for the 6th Fleet for the for Sheable future and likewise the Marine amphibious readiness group a Owens said. But the Forrestall a Battle group demonstrated it is possible to respond to future gaps with mobility and flexibility Owens said adding a this is a time of dramatic change and it s imperative to take advantage of
