European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 2, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Monday March 2, 1992 the stars and stripes a Page 5cocaine fight advances . Say but official warns Victory is Long Way away by the los Angeles times Washington a a important gains have been made in cutting Back coca planting and seizing cocaine the state department said in its annual drug control report released saturday. But the report played Down setbacks in the fight against narcotics. A we can to respond to what will be inevitable setbacks or blips in our record of Progress by ripping apart the strategy and starting All Over again a said Melvyn Levitsky assistant Secretary of state for International narcotics. A Victory in the drug War is still a Long Way away a said Levitsky who is scheduled to testify before Congress Jeven times in the next two weeks on the report Wahidi has become a measure of International performance in stemming illicit narcotics. Acting on the country by country assessment president Bush on Friday denied certification for full . Aid to four nations for their Lack of action or cooperation in the drug War a Afghanistan Myanmar formerly in the stars and stripes Burma Iran and Syria. He gave a a National interests waiver to Lebanon which a state department official noted lacks control Over the syrian occupied Bekaan Valley Lebanon a chief drug producing area. The action is largely symbolic because none of the four receives . Aid although the denial also Means that the United states will vote against multilateral development Bank Loans to the four. Congress can also deny certification and that Opportunity is expected to prompt scrutiny of such now certified countries As Peru source of the raw material for about 60 percent of the cocaine that is produced. The same four nations were denied certification last year. A which Bush did certify 22 drug producing or transiting n tons for Aid including Venezuela and China who were added to the list this year. The conflicting nature of the reports statistics was apparent in the measure of the planting and potential yield of coca the crop from which cocaine is refined. The report said that in 1991, for the second consecutive year coca under cultivation declined a from 211,800 hectares in 1990 to 206,000. A hectare is equal to 2.47 acres but after deducting local consumption and local seizures the 1991 cocaine production potentially reached a record of Between 995 and 1,170 metric tons of finished product. A metric ton is about 2,204 pounds those figures reflect the amount of cocaine that could be made from the processing of All of the coca leaves. But the totals do not take into account losses from a inefficiencies bad weather disease or the deterrent effects of Law enforcement a according to the report and thus do not represent what is actually available. A that amount remains unknown a it said. The seeming contradiction a reduction of area under cultivation but higher potential production a partly results from a coca Plant taking three years to mature and produce a Leaf Tor processing into cocaine. Thus 1991 production reflects plants under cultivation in 1988 a the year before it peaked at 222,000 hectares officials said. 10 years ago March 2,1982 a a soviet space probe landed on Venus and sent Back photographs and information from soil samples the official news Agency Tass reported. 20 years ago March 2,1972 a israeli jets and artillery blasted Arab guerrilla bases in Syria and shelled Southern Lebanon an israeli military spokesman said. In retaliation soviet built syrian air Force planes attacked israeli settlements in the occupied Golan Heights a syrian spokesman said. 30 years ago March 2,1962 a the worst single plane aviation disaster to Date in . Commercial aviation history occurred when an american airlines jetliner dived suddenly on Takeoff and plunged into a tidal swamp near Idlewild Airport in new York killing All 95 people aboard. 40 years ago March 2,1952 a the 130-acre North sea Island of Helgoland became the first territory returned to West Germany by the allies since the end of world War ii. The bomb scarred Island was a nazi submarine base during the War. West germans hailed the act As a sign of new sovereignty. World War 50 years ago today 2 March 1 .9-4 .2 japanese troops overrunning Java capture Batavia capital of the dutch East indies. Japanese forces land on Mindanao Island in the Philippines. In Burma the japanese Cross the sitting River in Force and move toward Rangoon. Japanese planes begin heavy bombing raids on new Guinea in preparation for an invasion. Australia declares War on Thailand. Float riders toss out their much wanted trinkets of beads cups and doubloons during Friday nights Krcic of Hermes Parade. Mood hangs Over carnival party new Orleans a Mardi gras Drew nearer its Climax saturday in Sunshine and warm breezes As revellers lined the streets for another Day of partying. Despite the annual renewal of carnival spirits bad feelings lingered Over a new anti Bias ordinance. The City councilwoman who wrote the Law has been the butt of mockery on Parade floats to shirts and protest buttons which show a red Circle and slash superimposed Over her picture. Saturdays parades included one of the largest of the 12-Day carnival season that ends tuesday. Singer Kenny Rogers took the Lead As grand marshal of the evenings endymion procession. Festivities were marred at another Parade the Crewe of tucks Parade Down St. Charles Avenue when a woman was shot in a leg. Three juveniles were arrested and the woman was hospitalized in stable condition by mid morning saturday spectators were already setting up ladders along Parade routes to get the Best views and a better Chance at catching the strings of coloured beads and other trinkets float riders traditionally toss. Meanwhile hard drinking revellers filled the narrow streets of the French Quarter. Good weather was forecast through tuesday night. The ordinance forbids any Parade group or Crewe from excluding participants because of race sex National origin sexual orientation age or disability. Violators can be denied Parade permits and fined. Atlantic City Springs ahead of water rivals source 2194 Days of War w h. Smith publishers inc. A Berkeley Springs . A drinking water flowed like Fine wine saturday and taste testers proclaimed Atlantic City n.j., water the Toast of the tap. The Casino capitals water won out Over that of 13 other mid Atlantic cities in the second annual Winter festival of Waters. Neil Goldfine director of the Atlantic City municipal utilities authority was thrilled. A this was sort of an olympics of water a Goldfine said. Second place ended in a tie Between Mentor Ohio and Annapolis md., contest spokeswoman Becky Kimmons said. Berkeley Springs known for its Waters since it became a spa Retreat in 1776, was third. Food and wine critics were the judges. A a it a amazing How Many differences there Are. I tasted two Waters that tasted Slippery a said judge Janet Odulak of Willoughby Ohio. In order of their finish the remaining entrants were harpers ferry a. Richmond a. Dover Del. Pittsburgh Charleston ., and Baltimore tie Harrisburg a. Hancock my. Rockville my. And Hagerstown my