European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 11, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Saturday april 11, 1992 the stars and stripes b Page 9 world bomb on bus kills 25 in sri lankan town from wire reports Colombo sri Lanka a a bomb exploded inside a passenger bus Friday killing at least 25 civilians in Eastern sri Lanka police said. Elsewhere 20 soldiers were killed in two tamil rebel attacks military officials said. The officials said 30 people were hospitalized 12 of them in critical condition and 70 others suffered minor wounds in the explosion in the exp town of Ampara 125 Miles East of Colombo. Bus Drivers Back on Job Madrid Spain a some 3,000 Madrid bus Drivers returned to work thursday after More than two months of stoppages that caused havoc in the City a Public transport system. Drivers voted to halt the strike late wednesday to await the outcome of a Case concerning the dismissal of 27 colleagues. Those firings triggered the stoppage. Union officials said strike action would be resumed if the court ruling was not in their favor. Iraq destroys facilities Vienna Austria a Iraq has begun destroying facilities believed to be the Core of its atomic weapons program the International atomic Energy Agency said Friday. Iaea inspectors who arrived in Baghdad on tuesday reported that a Small bring chamber was destroyed thursday at the a1 atheer site Southwest of Baghdad Iaea spokesman David Kyd said. The iraqis destroyed the chamber by cutting the steel Shell he said. He said iraqi engineers so far have cooperated in the destruction of the facility which the United nations has targeted As Central to iraqis program to build atomic weapons. Quake jolts Tokyo area Tokyo a a mild earthquake with a preliminary Reading of 4.6 on the Richter scale Shook Tokyo and the surrounding area late Friday. Officials said there were no immediate reports of damage or casualties. The quakers epicentre was at a depth of about 50 Miles under Eastern Tokyo the Central meteorological Agency said. The tremor occurred at 11 41 . Non communist elected Tirana Albania a Sali Berisha head of the democratic party that triumphed in last months elections has become albanians first non communist president since world War ii. In parliament 96 lawmakers voted for him with 35 against and one a Quot the two was 94. Eight parliamentarians including the 47-year old Berisha were not present. Demo Berisha cratic deputies greeted Berishay selection with jubilation flashing a for Victory signs when speaker Pjeter Arbe Nori announced the outcome. From the galleries spectators broke into cheers. Smoking fines increased Singapore a Singapore intensified its War on tobacco Friday by announcing new hefty fines and widening its smoking ban to include Banks barbershops Beauty Parlours taxis and private buses. Under the smoking act of 1992, vehicle operators and managers of places where smoking is prohibited must see that their patrons obey the Law or face a Fine up to $600. There is already a $300 maximum Fine for smokers who Light up in movie houses fast food outlets Public buses subways government offices hospitals and clinics. Vote invalid necessary thirds majority ii int under fire Yeltsin vows to ease economic reforms Moscow apr president Boris n. Yeltsin promised Friday to soften painful economic reforms and step Down As prime minister this summer in a Compromise with former communists who dominate the russian parliament. The Promise came in a Brief Impromptu speech by an obviously tired Yeltsin. It marked a mild Concession to his critics in return for preserving his Power to Issue economic decrees and name Cabinet ministers without legislative approval. Yeltsin addressed the 1,046-member Congress of Peoples deputies after it passed on first Reading a Resolution that maintained those sweeping Powers but urged him to relinquish the Post of prime minister and nominate a successor within one month. A i realize that the combination of the posts of president and prime minister is very hard above All on me a said Yeltsin whose eyes were puffy and skin was Ashen after a week of fending off attacks in the parliament. A in another three months once it is Clear that the reforms Are irreversible undoubtedly ill introduce proposals on a candidate for prime minister. Done to Force me to do it at once a he told the lawmakers in the Kremlin. He spoke deliberately and forcefully without notes and occasionally Shook his right fist at lawmakers. At other times he smiled through crooked lips. In the Compromise Yeltsin forced his opponents to give up More than they gained by threatening a National referendum or even new parliamentary elections if they revoked his Powers. Last year Yeltsin became russians first popularly elected Leader. The sex communist lawmakers came to Power before free balloting. Yeltsin did not specify what changes he would make in his Market oriented economic program which has sent prices skyrocketing while shortages have continued. But he and his aides have promised to ease the pain caused by the Price increases. He has mentioned lowering taxes increasing pay russian president Boris n. Yeltsin adjusts his earphone during a parliamentary session Friday in Moscow. Mints to Low income citizens and restoring some subsidies to state owned farms and industries. The parliament voted 536-217 to approve the Resolution urging Yeltsin to nominate a new prime minister and submit a list of russian ministers to the parliament for approval. Yeltsin also promised deeper changes in his Cabinet which he reshuffled last week in an Effort to head off criticism in the Congress. Cis commander reassures Powell on nuclear weapons Brussels Belgium a . Army Gen. Colin l. Powell said Friday that he received fresh assurances that the thousands of nuclear weapons amassed by the former soviet Union remained under a solid control in the successor nations. Powell chairman of the . Joint chiefs of staff said he was Given the information by marshal Yevgeny Shaposhnikov commander of the armed forces of the Commonwealth of Independent states. The Cis is composed of 11 former soviet republics. The two officers met on the sidelines of a first Ever gathering of nato military chiefs and their former Warsaw pact adversaries to discuss cooperation in the Post cold War Era. After his meeting Powell said he was a reasonably hopeful that Ukraine would resume a in due course a shipments of tactical nuclear weapons to Russia for destruction. Russian authorities he said a Are anxious to get All those weapons Back to Russia As quickly As  on thursday the 16 nations of the North Atlantic treaty organization expressed their a serious. Concerns to Russia and Ukraine about the suspension of the shipments. The allies urged the newly Independent nations to abide by agreements worked out among themselves to Transfer the arms to Russia by july 1. Ukraine suspended the shipments last month. It has expressed concern that it cannot Monitor destruction of the arms inside Russia. With the breakup of the soviet Union the Western allies Are worried about the Fate of about 27,000 nuclear weapons stockpiled by the Central soviet government. A i got assurances from marshal Shaposhnikov that they still have very solid control Over All nuclear weapons in the Cis a Powell said after the 30 officials were photographed in front of Alliance Headquarters. Shaposhnikov said he and Powell a developed common approaches on a Host of issues including nuclear and conventional weapons. Powell the military ances from re lies on Severa a a chiefs meeting Friday received reassure resent natives of the former soviet re pub issues regarding control of their forces a which we have no reason to question a said norwegian Gen. Vileik Eide chairman of natos military committee. Eide said he thought the nato sponsored cooperation meetings Between the former enemies could influence the actions of the republics. The republics have gone on record in these meetings As desiring to solve conflicting issues through dialogue and cooperation he said. A a it sat least a Promise that is known by All and could also have some effect on the future course a Eide said. The High ranking military leaders a some still wearing the Olive drab uniforms of the former red army a discussed plans for workshops and meetings designed to help the Eastern nations organize and Structure their Milit Aries in line with their new democratic societies. They also considered the need to train military commissioned and non commissioned officers Eide said. Service members from the former Warsaw pact nations have already undergone training in nato programs in Rome and Oberammergau Germany but More will Likely take place. A was the work plan develops we will discover even More requirements for training and education a Eide said. Much of the training arrangements also will be made Between individual nations officers attending training centers and schools of the nato countries he said. The chiefs intend to meet at least annually to discuss pressing issues but lower level officials were expected to meet More often. Staff writer Rosemary Sawyer contributed to tits report