European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 4, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Tuesday february 4, 1992 the stars and stripes b Page 9 ., Mexico hold meetings on free Trade Mexico City up a  Trade representative Carla Hills and Mexico a Trade minister Jaime Serra Puche opened a Short notice two Day visit sunday to discuss free Trade. Hills who arrived with a delegation of 10 congressional members 20 business people and several aides also is scheduled to meet with president Carlos Salinas de Gortari. A spokesman for the presidents office would give no further details. A we Are not authorized to say anything a the spokesman said. A any meetings at this Point Are  a spokesman for Hills said the Trade representative met with Serra Puche and with members of the delegation but declined further comment. The trip is a to provide an Opportunity for the members of the  Delegation to meet with president Salinas and members of his Cabinet As Well As to Exchange views with the mexican private sector a the  Embassy said. The abruptness of the visit has led to suggestions by mexicans watching free Trade negotiations among the United states Mexico and Canada that the talks Are at an impasse. The talks which began in june appeared to slow in october when Hills met with her counterparts in Zacatecas Mexico Baltic bound aids amps Peggy do Khon Chi. Ronald Williams Maneu vers a forklift carrying a crate of medical supplies As another worker looks on. The loading is part of an Effort being conducted at the army a medical material Center in Pinn Sens Germany to ship medical supplies to the Baltic nations of Lithuania Latvia and Estonia. The supplies left Over from operation desert storm include pharmaceuticals bandages and sutures. Last year the Center also supported operation provide Comfort sending medical supplies for kurdish refit Gocs in Turkey and Iraq. Vavao Iti Vaive. I 1 1 a Dod Congress ready for rematch on Reserve cuts u a Tir Ennitt Dubina said. And More recently guar by Luke Britt. Staff writer Washington a Pentagon officials were spoiling for a fight last week when they proposed that the  Reserve Force be Cut by 200,000 troops before the end of 1995. Secretary of defense Dick Cheney made it Clear in speeches during october and november that once again he was ready to Battle with legislators who last year Defeated a similar Call for Reserve cuts. The Issue was one of the most hotly debated topics in the 1992 defense budget. A there will continue to be Strong resistance to plans to Cut the reserves by such a big margin. We were Able to prevent that in the 1992 budget. I am going to work hard to protect National guard and Reserve interests a said rep. . A a Sonny Montgomery a Mississippi Democrat sometimes called a the Patron Saint of  Cheney a new defense spending package Calls for cuts that some say would close one third of americans selected Reserve armoires. The selected Reserve consists of both National guard and ready Reserve units. A we did not get the reduction that we asked Congress for last year so we be got to come Back again this year a Cheney said wednesday vowing to press Congress hard on the Issue. Legislators and Reserve supporters began gearing up for the fight weeks ago. They warn that if they lose the  Military risks becoming a hollow Force like that of the 1970s, and some said the Pentagon is setting up the nation for a return to the draft. A if the Active forces Are needed in the future after the draw Down is Complete where Are they going to get the men if they be destroyed the trained base provided by the reserves a asked capt. Victor Dubina spokesman for the National guard association Headquarters in Washington. A a they la have to be reconstituted in a hurry a Dubina said. A is no to that a Reserve troop strength 1991 to 1993 fiscal year 1991 fiscal year s to of Abs Quot fiscal year 1993 7t Congema tonally amended cuts to swim of tear at cutting Gre route  Dod proposed cuts Doo it Matda by its  euphemism for the draft a in last years proposed defense budget Cheney asked Congress to Cut 300,000 members Over four years from the total selected Reserve Force which then amounted to almost 1.2 million. Congressional leaders walked at losing nearly 25 percent of what Many politicians consider a Strong grass roots constituency. Despite vigorous and sometimes heated congressional testimony by both Cheney and Gen. Colin l. Powell chairman of the joint chiefs of staff Congress approved Only one third of the requested cuts according to congressional statistics. Congress unwillingness to allow cuts in the reserves clearly annoys Cheney who has publicly chastised politicians for shielding their interests at Home while asking Active forces particularly those overseas to make sacrifices. Reserve advocates argue that the reserves Are not As expensive to maintain during peacetime As the Active Force a about one third As much according to defense department a is Ratosk reports a and that the reserves offer the nation a sort of referendum on committing the country to War. A in operation desert storm we did no to see Large scale protests because the guard Reserve Call up touched communities Large and Small All around the United states a Montgomery said. A a unlike Vietnam in desert storm the military went to War in August but the people went to War when the guard and Reserve were  last years Reserve cuts were achieved through attrition Dubina said. About 20,000 More will retire and not be replaced this year and again in 1993. But if the cuts proposed last week Are approved armoires will have to close and reservists will have to be released he said. The units that will be hit hardest Are those in Rural areas Dubina said. But the effects of these closings will not be limited to the reservists. Drawing Down National guard units which come under state control during peacetime Means drawing Down a longstanding response Force for emergencies and natural disasters Dubina said. And More recently guard units have been used in some states to augment police drug enforcement efforts. Alabama state sen. Gerald dial who is also a colonel in a Lineville ala., guard unit said closing Reserve armoires will Rob Rural areas of a vital Community Center. A the armory is an integral part of most communities a dial said. A in most instances the armory is the largest facility in most Small towns. Most of your Public meetings Are held there and other gatherings of Public  dials role As a politician Soldier is not uncommon he said. Many Reserve leaders Are also City county and state officials. With 4,200 units in 3,000 communities across the nation. Army reservists alone form a Strong constituency that dial said has been pressuring Federal legislators to resist the cuts. According to the Alabama senator Cheney will run into a political a a hornets a nest if he causes the closure of hundreds of americans Rural armoires. However a staff member for a lawmaker on the Senate armed services committee said president Bush a acquiescence on key defense issues such As the b-2 bomber has put some legislators in the mood to make Good Faith concessions. The Reserve Issue would be a prime example the staffer said. Rep. Beverly b. Byron d-md., last year fought for Low Reserve cuts but indicated last week that she and other members of the House aimed services committee Are willing to work with Cheney on the Issue. A we will probably look at holding the numbers or As close As we can to those the Dod has sent Over a Byron said. The Reserve Levels set by Congress last year Are Good through 1993 and Are not Likely to change Byron said. But that reprieve Only paves the Way for deep cuts in 1994 and �?T95 if Cheney a numbers or anything close to them Are accepted on Capitol Hill