European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 24, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse These ass vol. 50, no. 284 Friday january 24,1992 8693russia to stash armed forces official says Oslo Norway apr Russia must Cut its 3.9-miliion-Man armed forces by half within two years because of economic constraints a top russian defense official said thursday. A politicians have been talking about a reduction of 700,000, but we can reduce and will by up to 2 million soldiers a said Alexander Salko second Deputy defense minister of the russian federation. A in reality it would be More than 2 million. This is not political. It is economic a Salko told reporters through his official interpreter. A it will be done a he said. A the problem is How to make these reductions. It has to be Salko also urged the Baltic republics which Are pushing for the withdrawal of soviet troops from their territories to Stop creating tension a with economic and moral pressure on red army soldiers. Salko and russians first Deputy defense min see Russia on Page 2 army draws up final guidelines for its draw Down by Chuck Vinch Washington Bureau Washington a for soldiers feeling overwhelmed by successive army policy announcements on reductions in Force Early retirement boards separation pay plans and changes to High year tenure rules the services personnel chief has Good news. A the planning is Over a it. Gen. William Reno said in an interview. A we Are now going into operational Reno said that barring an announcement of significant new military cuts from the White House or Congress All the policy changes necessary to get the army Down to its current goal of 520,000 soldiers by the end of fiscal 1995 have been made. And now that All the tools Are in place Reno said the army a goal is to have every Soldier a a from the lowest privates to the most senior generals a fully briefed by the end of this month on the plan and its meaning to them. Although the flurry of activity in recent months May have had a piecemeal Quality to troops in the Field the see related stories on Page 3 army a master blueprint is actually relatively simple for both officers and enlisted Reno said. In essence the plan Calls for pinching both ends of the pipeline a reducing the number of new recruits and first term re enlist mints and forcibly retiring soldiers who already have 20 years of service a while encouraging As Many voluntary separations from the mid see army on Page 2baker announces global Aid role for air Force Washington apr Secretary of state James a. Baker Iii said thursday the worlds wealthiest nations had agreed on a global Effort to help the emerging nations of the former soviet Union. He said . Air Force planes will deliver 54 shipments of emergency Medicine and food to the former soviet republics. Baker said the first c-5 transports in operation provide Hope will leave Frankfurt Germany on feb. 10. Baker said the shipments will go to each of the 12 new states emerging from the wreckage of the soviet Union. He said the air Force flights would take one or two weeks to Complete. A a it a fair to say we truly have a global Effort a Baker said at a news conference closing a 47-nation conference convened by the United states to coordinate Aid to the former soviet Union. A above All operation provide Hope can vividly show the Peoples of the former soviet Union that those that once prepared for War with them now have the courage and the conviction to use their Milit Aries to say a we will wage a new peace a a Baker said. A we Are no More enemies we have become friends a said Manfred Worner Secretary general of nato which will provide logistical support to the Aid Effort. The participants will Send representatives to Minsk next week to Brief leaders of the former soviet republics on the Progress made toward sending them Aid. German foreign minister Hans dict Rich guns Char said a we have to do cd i thing in our Power to do away with weak spots in the food a follow up conference will be held in Lisbon Portugal within 90 to 120 Days. Japan has offered to Host a third meeting. Desert storm vet destroyed a b-52 Strat fortress explodes in a burst of flames and smoke at Anderson fab on Guam wednesday. The bomber had suffered heavy damage to one of its wings during operation desert storm in the persian Gulf and the air Force decided to dispose of the aircraft with a spectacular explosive come May Start pullout from Panama by Peter Eisner new Day Panama City Panama a the Bush administration is prepared to withdraw from Panama the Headquarters of the . Southern come which controls . Military operations in latin America. That action would be the first step toward a full . Military departure envisioned under the Panama canal treaties . And panamanian sources said. Government sources from both countries said that an announcement about moving the commands approximately 400 military and 120 civilian employees plus their dependents could come soon. The Pentagon will choose either Homestead fab fla., or a military facility in Texas As the new Home for the key military nerve Center. A a in a not sure of the timing but it is planned and it will be the first step toward pulling out of Panama a said one . Government source speaking on condition of anonymity. A i done to know whether Florida or Texas has been chosen William Ormsby a Southern come spokesman in Panama said wednesday that he was unaware of a decision on when such a Transfer would take place. A we done to know about it and in a sure we would a he said. However a source close to president Guillermo see pullout on Page 2
