European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 28, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 10 b the stars and stripes saturday March 28, 1992kohl defends Waldheim meeting Munich Germany apr Chancellor Helmut Kohl launched a Sharp attack on the world jewish Congress on Friday As he defended his meeting with austrian president Kurt Waldheim. Kohl added that he had challenged the jewish group about its attitude toward German unification in late 1989, a and i am still waiting for an  Waldheim the former Secretary general of the United nations has been isolated in the diplomatic world since 1987, when the United states barred him for allegedly taking part in nazi persecutions in the Balkans during world War ii. Waldheim had not been received by Germany during his term. But he came to Munich on Friday to get an award from an obscure conservative political Gro no the Reutinger collegium. He is Only a month from the end of his six year term. Kohl broke the International ice by travelling from Bonn to Greet him at the Airport along with bavarian minister president Max Streibl a fellow conservative. They had lunch in an ornate Palace with austrian foreign minister Alois mock and then at a picture taking session a reporter asked Kohl whether he was aware that the world jewish Congress had criticized the meeting. A whom i meet with Here in Munich together with my Friend Max Streibl that is for me to decide As Chancellor a Kohl replied. A i done to need any  Germany and Austria have close and Friendly relations he said and Germany wants its neighbor to join the european Community. He stressed that Waldheim was the a freely elected president of Austria. Streibl sought to speak but Kohl said he wanted to respond to the reporters query which was based on a Washington Post article published in fridays International Herald Tribune. It quoted Elan Steinberg executive director of the world jewish Congress As saying the meeting showed a shocking moral insensitivity to matters of concern to jewish people and to All people who were involved in the events of the  a i Don t understand this criticism a Kohl said and he brought up a dispute with the wac that he said started in november 1989, shortly after the Berlin Wall opened. A an emissary of the world jewish Congress was in East Berlin and there in an outrageous Way spoke against German Unity and the right of self determination for the germans a Kohl said. He said he had queried the jewish organization but had not received a reply. Waldheim did not speak at the photo session. Steinberg speaking from new York still said that Kohl a brought shame on the German people by meeting with Waldheim. German jewish groups denounced the meeting. Michel Friedman a member of the governing Board of the Central Council of jews in Germany said the meeting was a the wrong political  a Waldheim As a person is just As controversial because of his past As he was a few years ago a Friedman said. Waldheim served As . Secretary general from 1972 and 1982, and was elected to the austrian presidency four years later amid controversy Over his service in the German army. German documents reveal Waldheim was involved in the deportation of yugoslav citizens to labor Camps during world War ii. Austrian president Kurt Waldheim stands Between bavarian minister president Max Streibl left and Chancellor Helmut Kohl after his arrival in  laundry workers seek pay new work by John Millar Wurzburg Bureau Wurzburg Germany a about 160 former laundry employees will try to prove that the army is responsible for paying and possibly rehiring them when they take their Case to the German labor court on april 10. The workers were employed by Pacific architects and engineers a Mph which was contracted by the army to operate the quartermaster laundry and More than 30 pickup and drop off Points in Southern Germany. Employees were forbidden from working after the company a contract expired on March 8 and barred from Faulenburg Cavern in Wurzburg the next Day. Company representatives claimed their original contract with the army provided for the . Government to provide jobs for All employees when the contract expired. Officials with the . Army in Europe however said the workers were employed by a private company whose contract with the government had expired. Therefore the army has no responsibility to either pay or employ the 160 people they said. The army has taken Over the facility and the pickup Points and has begun returning items of clothing and bedding that were in the laundry system when it was closed. But the employees were never officially hired by the army or fired by the company. Until this week workers could not collect German unemployment compensation because they had not received termination notices. However Matthias Heese an attorney who is representing the former workers arranged for employees to be paid unemployment through the Wurzburg Branch of the German employment office after obtaining letters from the company explaining the status. Both the army and the employees will have a Chance to represent their Case in court said Heinz Bertram director of contracts for the Frankfurt based company. He said officials from the German Federal government would appear at the court nearing but did not know whether the army would also Send representatives. Usa eur officials did not respond to queries about the court session Friday,3 children Hurt by Wii grenade listed As stable by the stars and stripes Darmstadt Germany a the three children injured in an explosion thursday evening at Darmstadt a Jefferson Village were in stable condition Friday according to a Community news release. German authorities said the explosion was caused by a German world War ii Rifle grenade the release said. The explosion occurred about 5 15 . On the main Road that passes through the Jefferson Village housing area adjacent to Cambrai Fritsch Cavern. Two children underwent surgery thursday night to repair shrapnel wounds in their Abdomens and hips. The third victim was treated for wounds in both legs and feet. One of the children was taken to a German Hospital in Darmstadt and remained there Friday. The other two were in the Frankfurt army regional medical Center. One girl is 9, and the other victims a girl and a boy Are 10, according to the release. Quot they Are expected to fully recover a said it. Col. William Harkey the Darmstadt Community spokesman. A there is nothing life threatening that we be been  . And German authorities Are continuing to investigate the incident Harkey said. Poll gives Yeltsin 10% approval Moscow apr a nationwide poll indicates Boris n. Yeltsin a approval rating has plummeted to 10 percent since he allowed prices to Rise this year. But russians can to think of anyone who could do a better Job As president said the poll published by the government supported newspaper russian Gazette. A a it a completely obvious that the fall in his popularity is connected with the economic reforms. Which have lowered Peoples living standards a said Yeltsin a acting press Secretary Alexei Novikov. Yeltsin was elected in june 1991 for a five year term. Novikov said its a much too Early for Yeltsin to be concerned about his chances for re election in 1996. A the has More important things to think about now than his career a Novikov said. Russian officials have expressed worry that without More Western help their reforms could be crippled by unrest. Last fall before prices skyrocketed 32.9 percent of those polled said Yeltsin was a Good president. This Spring Only 10.4 percent did according to the poll. The Public clearly is unhappy with Yeltsin a elimination of state set prices Jan. 2, which sent prices of food clothing and consumer goods soaring an average of 350 percent within a few weeks. The poll showed Yeltsin still topped the list of politicians whom russians would want As president. Slightly More than 33 percent of those polled named him As their top Choice while All other candidates garnered a total of 18.5 percent. The newspaper did not explain the opinions of the rest of the respondents. Last year Yeltsin assumed the Post of prime minister As Well As president and announced that he would personally oversee the country a transition to a Market Economy and take responsibility for the Success a or failure a of the reforms. Military to probe car train crash we Brucken Germany a amps a the investigation of a weekend car train crash involving an american Soldier will be turned Over to . Authorities the head of the prosecutors office in Wei Brincken says. Chief prosecutor Martin Heinekamp said this week that the decision was made after determining that any possible offences committed would be punishable under military Law. He said his office had been investigating the possibility of endangerment of rail traffic. Heinekamp said that once the investigation is turned Over to . Officials his office will Monitor its Progress. No information on the Soldier the soldiers unit or any possible charges can be released until the investigation is Complete said sgt. 1st class Donald Banks of the 29th area support group in Kaiserslautern. Heinekamp also refused to release the name of that Soldier citing German Law. He said the Soldier apparently took a wrong Turi March 21 near the Village of Haup Stuhl. The soldiers car became stuck on the tracks and was struck by a Pas Senger train causing the locomotive and one train Ca to derail. The Soldier left the car before it was hit. H was uninjured. Blood and urine tests were conducted on the Soldier but the results were not yet available Heinekamp said. Revised estimates list the damage from the Accident at 1 million Marks or about $613,497, Heinekamp said