European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 22, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Wednesday april 22, 1992 the stars and stripes b Page 3blocks turn Etna into a souffle Zafferano Etna Sicily a with an assist from . Helicopters 31 giant Concrete blocks toppled tuesday into a Tunnel of lava on mount Etna clogging the trough and forcing the burning liquid to disperse officials said. A a it a extraordinary its puffing up like a souffle a reported Franco Barberi a Volcan Logist directing the operation. He speaking by radio to reporters was in Zafferano Etna As the lava Rose along the sides of the blocked Tunnel. The Man Euver was expected to reduce the flow of the lava Stream that has been threatening Zafferano Etna a town of 7,000 people on the volcanoes slopes. Just before the operation italian military experts detonated explosives that knocked out part of the lava Tunnel at another Point further dissipating the liquid. The lava had created tunnels allowing it to flow rapidly Down the sides of Europe a most Active Volcano. State run ra1 television showed the White blocks chained together around the rim of an opening into the lava Tunnel. . Helicopters dispatched from Nas Simonella dropped smaller chunks of Concrete to Knock the necklace of Concrete slabs into the opening a civil Protection ministry official said. At the same time he said italian demolition experts set off explosions to help prod the blocks which together weighed More than 50 tons. The . Ambassador to Italy Peter Secchia flew to Sicily on tuesday to Greet the . Marine and Navy personnel working on the Volcano project. Mount Etna gives visitors a hot foot to remember by Jim Derheim staff writer Zafferano Sicily a air Force sgt. Tim Ormsby never expected to stand within feet of a flowing River of red hot lava. Last week Ormsby and his buddy sgt. Brian Ezzo carefully trod the top of a growing Mountain of hot lava stones about two Miles above Zafferano Etna a Hillside Community of about 7,000 people. A this Rock is still hot a said Ezzo As he hefted a Large chunk of lava shaped like a half Moon. A so Are my feet a said Ormsby. Hot was an understatement. Although it was possible to stand within a foot of the flowing glow of molten Earth and Stone from mount Etna its about As comfortable As a putting your Tongue on a hot engine Block a said Ezzo a member of a c-5 Galaxy aircraft Crew that was undergoing training last week at Nas Simonella. There was a curious smell in the air brought about by lava fumes or possibly As Ezzo said a the burning of my Tennis  the pair later returned to the scene with another Friend Crew chief staff sgt. Dave Fisher who is stationed with the pair at Dover fab Del. A this is a once in a lifetime Chance a said Ezzo. Echoed Ormsby a a in la probably never live to see an-3 new states prodded by nato on nuclear pact Brussels Belgium a amps a nato officials expressed concern tuesday Over the failure of Belarus Ukraine and Kazakhstan to sign a treaty that prohibits the spread of nuclear weapons and regulates peaceful nuclear activities. A when allies recognized and established relations with the new states of the former soviet Union a important expectation at the time was that they would accede to the not nuclear non proliferation treaty As non nuclear weapon states a a nato statement said. A Lack of Progress to Date is a cause of  the three states had agreed to transport their tactical nuclear weapons to Russia where they would be destroyed. Ukraine had halted its shipment of weapons to Russia claiming it had no Way to Monitor their actual destruction. Last week however the two states signed an agreement and Transfer was to begin immediately. The statement said nato a looks to Russia to fulfil the role of the former soviet Union As a depository and nuclear weapon state under the  under the 1968 Accord non nuclear states agree to apply safeguards dictated by the International atomic Energy Agency to their peaceful use of nuclear Energy. Nuclear states vow not to Transfer weapons to countries that do not have them. The nato statement said neither the presence of weapons in the three states nor the fact that nuclear testing took place there in the past would preclude their status As non nuclear states under the treaty. Nato acknowledged the need for openness regarding the weapons disposal but stressed that the decision to rapidly withdraw and destroy the weapons had been agreed upon internationally. Other live  t from their Vantage Point High up on the Mountain of lava stones streams of red could be seen bearing Down on a half dozen flashing Blue lights those of local police attempting crowd control and just beyond that the yellow and White Points of Light that Are Zafferano. After witnessing a British television correspondent closing his report on the eruptions from a spot right on the Edge  the River of lava Fisher Shook his head and said a one slip and he a history. He  have a  local residents tourists and police stood about 20 feet from the lava front whose glowing inner self seemed stationary until a creak of Stone was heard a Branch of a Low tree burst into flame and a gasp came from the crowd As it nervously retreated a few inches. A dozen Miles above the City High on a Cliff overlooking the a Valley of the Bull a As local residents Call it the three airmen stood looking Down at the source of Zaff Erana a misery. Long streams of lava tumbled and crackled toward the wide Plain which was a Patchwork of wide Rivers of molten Rock together with seemingly isolated sections of fire. A pall of acrid smoke Hung Over the scene painted Orange by the glow. A a it a awesome and powerful a Fisher said putting into words a vision of hell on Earth. A amps Jim do Holm sgt. Brian Ezzo gingerly picks up a chunk of lava. 3rd of denies paper s Story of reprimand Over rape trial by Meridith Winder . Bureau Raf m1ldenhall, England a air Force officials have denied a British newspaper Story that said the commander at Raf Bent Waters was reprimanded Over the handling of a rape trial there a month ago. The daily Telegraph reported april 17 that a the commander of a . Air Force base in Britain has been reprimanded by the ministry of defense for failing to hand Over a rape suspect to British police trying him instead at a  the newspaper did not name the commander. Col. Roger r. Radcliff is commander of the 81st tac fighter Wing the Host unit at Bent Waters. Capt. Ray Martell a 3rd air Force spokesman said the facts of the incident were misrepresented. A there were some concerns expressed by the mod ministry of defense about the jurisdiction of the Case a Martell said. A they had some talks with our Legal officials but in no Way could it be characterized As a reprimand nor were they accusing us of acting  the report revolves around the trial of staff sgt. Michael a. Tilghman held March 11-14. Tilghman assigned to the 920th Field training det at Ben Waters was convicted of raping and assaulting his former live in British Girlfriend and of fraud and adultery. He was Sente raced to five years in jail Given a dishonourable discharge fined $5,666 and reduced to airman Basic. Dash Telegraph reporter Robert shr Maloy said tuesday that he obtained his information from the press desk at the ministry of defense. According to shr Maloy officials did no to use the term  a they reminded air Force officials of protocol a shr Maloy said. A was far As we Are concerned that a the same thing As a  another British newspaper the East Anglian daily times alleged last month that the court proceeding was held in secret and that knowledge of it was kept from the British Public until a Story appeared in the stars and stripes. The daily times article also questioned the Validity or rights of american jurisdiction in the Case. A we had asked for and obtained jurisdiction before the rape charges came out a Martell said. A it originated As a bad Basic allowance for quarters fraud. Since she was involved living with him they inter viewed her. She started talking about assaults and then about being  Gorbachev says comeback bid possible Tokyo up f ormer soviet president Mikhail s. Gorbachev said tuesday that he May return to politics in Russia according to a japanese news report. A a the late French president Charles de Gaulle was returned to Power at the age of 68, and i am Only 61,�?� Kyodo news service quoted him As saying. A that Means there is the  but he added a my comeback to a government Post is unlikely to materialize within a Span of three or five  Gorbachev resigned As president of the former soviet Union while his nation was breaking up late last year. I he soviet Union was replaced by the t Commonwealth of Independent states and his archrival Boris Yeltsin is the president of Russia. The remarks came in a question and answer session following a lecture by Gorbachev