European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 23, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Sunday february 23, 1992 the stars and stripes a Page 5russians offers go out of this world a by the Washington Post Washington a a top russian space official went to Capitol Hill on Friday with an intriguing offer the Chance for the United states to buy or lease the most sophisticated russian spacecraft and rockets at bargain basement prices. Yuri p. Semenov general director of no in Ergia the russians civilian manned space program invited . Officials to lease room aboard the Mir space station orbiting 240 Miles above Earth. He also promised a warm Welcome for . Technicians studying the feasibility of acquiring the soyuz to spacecraft As an emergency escape vehicle for the planned . Space station Freedom. Semenov also dangled for Sale the russians most powerful rocket the Enervia which exceeds the lifting capacity of any . Launch vehicle. And he outlined a dazzling list of projects the United states and the former soviet Union might one Day jointly undertake including diverting radiation from the atmosphere with huge solar mirrors and Patching up the Earth a punctured Ozone layer. A we could present a number of interesting projects for International cooperation a said Semenov and a i would submit that we be talked about this far too Long and should move from words to  Semenov and three other russian space officials appeared before the Senate appropriations subcommittee on veterans affairs housing and Independent agencies which overseas the National aeronautics and space administration. Sen. Barbara a. Mikulski d-md., the subcommittee chairman who has urged the administration to move swiftly and a a boldly to acquire useful russian space hardware and technology said its obvious that the former soviet Union a is open for  a the goal of any joint venture in space exploration or space science with members of the former soviet Union should be the generation of additional . Jobs a Mikulski said. A and any budget savings from joint projects with the russians should be reinvested in our own space program and the technology that will keep us the world Leader in this  Richard h. Truly nasal a outgoing administrator testified that there arc several areas in which russian technology a could represent attractive opportunities for  those areas include advanced automated rendezvous and Docking systems use of ground antennae belonging to the former soviet unions deep space network a nuclear reactor Power system and the powerful rd-170 rocket engine. John p. Boright a Deputy assistant Secretary of state cautioned that a we must ensure that our collaboration in space activities supports our broader political objectives with respect to the former soviet Union a including defense conversion non proliferation and the creation of a successful Market based private  noting that most of the former soviet unions space infrastructure has been tied to military operations Boright said a we will have to be cautious not to inadvertently support organizations and capabilities that could represent a future  Skinner reportedly fires Nea head by the Washington Post Washington John Frohnmayer Long a target of conservative attacks for his funding of sexually explicit Art resigned under pressure Friday As chairman of the National endowment for the arts. Frohnmayer and the White House officially portrayed his departure As voluntary but a senior administration source said Frohnmayer was fired by White House chief of staff Samuel k. Skinner on thursday. The firing was viewed by both critics and supporters of Frohnmayer As a response to Patrick Buchanan a Strong snowing in the new Hampshire primary. In a speech thursday Buchanan reiterated his intent to thrash the Agency for a subsidizing both filthy and blasphemous arts in his upcoming Campaign swing in the stars and stripes 10years ago feb. 23,1982 a two car bombs went off in the heart of a packed outdoor Market in mostly moslem West Beirut Lebanon. Twelve people were killed and 40 others were injured in the blasts.20 year Sago feb. 23,1972 a China a ruling communist party newspaper the Peoples daily sold out quickly and crowds of excited chinese gathered around outdoor boards where the paper was posted to look at the unprecedented display of photos and news space Given to the first Day of president Nixon s we Klong visit to china.30 years ago feb. 23,1962 a hundreds of thousands of West berliners welcomed attorney general Robert Kennedy in his visit to the City. In his speech Kennedy pledged that the United states would support the Freedom of West Berlin Quot with the full strength of american power."40 years ago feb. 23,1952 a one american Soldier and 69 korean civilian internees were killed in a communist led riot at the Kobe Island stockade in Korea. Authorities said about 1,500 inmates attacked . Security troops with wooden clubs Iron pipes and other weapons. Through the South. In a letter to Frohnmayer president Bush said the Nea chairman had expressed a desire to leave last october. He thanked Frohnmayer for bringing a integrity and decency to the Job for the past 2vi years but added that a some of the Art funded by the Nea does not have my enthusiastic  a senior administration official said Bush had suggested at the october meeting that Frohnmayer a might want to think about leaving the Nea. The meeting was meant to be a the Nice Way of getting Frohnmayer to seek another Job the official said. On thursday Skinner suggested to Frohnmayer that a enough time had gone by for this to be done the Nice Way a according to the official. Frohnmayer called an emergency staff meeting Friday morning to announce his May 1 departure. In an emotional session he Sang a Shaker hymn simple gifts and read a poem by William Stafford As Well As a a a Credo reiterating his support for government funding of the arts without congressionally imposed restrictions on  a i leave with the belief that this eclipse of the soul will soon pass and with it the lunacy that sees artists As enemies and ideas As demons a he told the staff. An Nea source said Frohnmayer a firing following Buchanan a Strong showing in new Hampshire is a More than  Frohnmayer a critics applauded his impending departure. A the firing of chairman Frohnmayer is Long overdue a said rep. Richard Armey a Texas. John Frohnmayer officials forced to quit after prison escape Charleston . A two top corrections officials resigned under pressure Friday after three murderers tunnelled their Way out of the West Virginia Penitentiary on wednesday. A i will not allow a prison system which permits convicted murderers a pick and a shovel and assigns them a spot in the greenhouse a gov. Gaston Caperton said in announcing the resignations. Caperton said he met with state corrections commissioner Ron Gregory and parole chairman Bob Bailey and both agreed to step Down. A both agree with me that it is Best for the state of West Virginia that they resign their positions immediately a the governor said. Gregory who suffered a heart attack last year said of the meeting a we Dis Worl d War ii cussed my health and in a just  Bailey denied wrongdoing. A a in be done my Best a he said. A i told him i realized he needs to get a fresh look. He a a Good  an inmate said the 32-foot Tunnel that led the escapees from the prison greenhouse to Freedom was a a Well known secret among prisoners. A everybody inside Here is still laughing a said Thomas Drescher a killer serving a life sentence without parole. The three escapees remained at Large. State police sgt. . Burner said authorities were focusing their search on the immediate Vicinity of the prison in Moundsville. In Southern West Virginia escapees David Williams and Tomic Mollohan were identified As suspects in an armed robbery of a convenience store Kanawha county sheriff Art Ashley said. A third person was seen waiting in a car Ashley said. The three men were last seen headed toward Charleston in a dark Green four door Sedan Ashley said. On thursday a Man Matching Williams description broke into a House near the prison and stole a woman a purse and two loaves of bread Burner said. Williams 33, Mollohan 49, and Fred Hamilton 34, were discovered missing from the prison during a head count wednesday. An investigation turned up a sophisticated 4-foot-High escape route under the greenhouses dirt floor. It led to a Road on the other Side of a prison Wall. 50 years ago today feb 231 9 4 2 japanese troops Torce their away across Burma s sitting River in fierce fighting around Mok Palin and Many Indian troops defending the town Are Cut Oft when the area s Only Bridge is blown up. Six  b-17 bombers based in Australia strike for the first time at japanese bases in Rabaul new Britain. The japanese Complete the Conquest of Ambrina in the dutch East indies. Source 2194 Days of War w. H. Smith publishers inc. Apa year ago Day 38 feb. 23 the United states and its allies launch a Large scale ground offensive against iraqi troops after Baghdad ignores the . Deadline for an iraqi withdrawal from Kuwait. Kuwaiti resistance and other sources say the iraqis Are carrying out a systematic Campaign of executions inside Kuwait particularly of people they previously tortured. Iraq fires a scud missile at Israel. A