European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 24, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Friday april 24, 1992 the stars and stripes c Page 5east s reactors still called hazardous from wire reports Rockville my. A despite years of Western efforts the Chance of a serious Accident at nuclear plants in the former soviet Union and Eastern Europe remains too High the chairman of the . Nuclear regulatory commission said wednesday. Some installations can never be brought up to Western safety standards commission staff members said. Others can be improved but now Lack Basic protective measures such As fire doors they said. The chairman of the commission Ivan Selin said some measures that would improve safety in the longer term were under Way or had been promised. A a they re getting better but not very fast a he said. A they take two and a half Steps Forward and then two Steps  the . Council for Energy awareness a Trade association representing the american nuclear Industry said wednesday that it too was following the operations of soviet designed plants a with heightened  referring to the Commonwealth of Independent states Council spokesman Steven w. Unglesbee said a five years ago they had a political consensus they done to have now. Everyone loses sight of the fact that these Are new  As such he said the new countries May have trouble meeting the challenges of nuclear operation. Selin said it would take $10 billion to $15 billion to bring existing plants in the Cis and Eastern Europe up tie former soviet Union and Eastern Europe Lake two and a had Steps Forward and then two Steps Back 4 a arc chairman Ivan Safin to acceptable standards. Now he said Power is sold for about 20 percent of what it costs to produce so there Are scant resources for improvements. He suggested that the West offer Loans to facilitate improvements. Of particular concern to officials Are the 15 chernobyl Type reactors still operating in the former soviet Union. Such a reactor caused the worlds worst nuclear Plant Accident in Ukraine in 1986. The same Type of reactor also was involved in an Accident last month that damaged radioactive fuel. The latest Accident shows that the chernobyl Type reactors will remain dangerous As Long As they Are in service the officials said. In the latest Accident on March 24 at the Sosnowy Bor 3 reactor near St. Petersburg a stuck valve shut off Cooling water in one of 1,661 pressurized fuel tubes that run through the Graphite Core. Radioactive gases were released into the atmosphere and the temperature in the reactor Rose so fast that the fuel was damaged even though the reactor was shut Down within five seconds according to the nuclear regulatory commissions executive director James m. Taylor. Damage to fuel is the most feared Type of nuclear Accident because it could result in melting and the release of massive amounts of radioactivity. Such an Accident occurred at three mile Island in Pennsylvania in 1979. The St. Petersburg reactor is a Type known As a blk which Taylor noted has a some very undesirable  it was an a blk reactor that caused the Accident at chernobyl when a multiple pressure tube failure blew apart inc entire radioactive Core. But Selin said the a bks will continue to operate for years in Russia Ukraine and Lithuania because there is no replacement source of electricity. A we have Little Choice but to hold our nose while pressing ahead with International programs to improve the safety and operating procedures at the former soviet plants he said. The problems at the reactors the commission staff said include electrical cables that control several safety systems or Supply the systems with Power often run through common ducts. A single fire could disable All of the safety systems. Accident investigation is aimed at finding and fining individuals responsible rather than eliminating mechanical or procedural problems. The stars and stripes10 year Sago april 24,1982 a British warships heading for the Falkland islands came within striking distance of strategic South Georgia Island and members of Britain a naval task Force were ordered to defense stations a the highest state of War readiness Short of combat alert.20 years ago april 24,1972 a heavily armed guerrillas of the outlawed Irish Republican army threw up sandbag fortifications around roman Catholic areas in Londonderry Northern Ireland saying a British invasion was imminent.30 years ago april 24,1962 a the United states launched the Ranger 4 spacecraft and scientists hoped to guide it to a Landing on the Moon within the next two days.40 years ago april 24,1952 a w. Averell Harri Man director of the Mutual Security Agency announced he would be Quot an Active candidate Quot for the democratic presidential , dec Trade words but Little else by the los Angeles times Washington a president Bush and top european Community officials failed wednesday to resolve a handful of issues blocking a 108-nation agreement that would boost world economic activity by an estimated $5 trillion Over the next decade. A we exchanged a lot of ideas a agreed . Trade representative Carla a. Hills. But she conceded a i done to think any of the ideas hit  the ideas were exchanged in a meeting among Bush european commission president Jacques Delors and Anibal Cavaco Silva the portuguese prime minister who is serving in the rotating position of european Community president. Although both sides vowed to press Forward and stressed that Success of the 6-year-old negotiations is crucial to the world Economy the Lack of Progress added to a perception that the talks Are dead for this year and possibly forever. A i definitely think the noises coming out Are not very promising a said Robert Lawrence an economist at Harvard University in Cambridge mass. The talks began in 1986, As an Effort to rewrite badly outdated Post world War ii rules that govern International Trade. Although the system worked quite Well for decades it never covered such increasingly important areas of International Commerce As agriculture and financial services. As a result nations have been turning to protectionism and raw political muscle to Settle their Trade disputes. Europe a policy of heavily subsidizing its Farmers remains the biggest stumbling Block. Although these subsidies enjoy potent political support in such countries As Germany and France other agricultural exporting countries complain that it makes it impossible for their Farmers to compete on the International Market. It is Clear that the talks a known As the Uruguay round because they were conceived at an International meeting there a will fall far Short of those goals. But even the More modest package now under consideration which Calls for a 30 percent reduction in Overall tariffs could boost worldwide Trade in goods and services by almost $200 billion a year according to an estimate from the Paris based organization for economic cooperation and development. Jury instructions delayed in King s beating trial world War 50 years ago today 24 april1 a 9 4 2 German heavy bombers attack the historic English City of Exeter in retaliation for the Royal air Force s devastating air raid on Linbeck in late March. It is the first of the Luftwaffe s Quot Baedeker  so named because the terror attacks Are aimed at historic British cities selected from the Baedeker tourist guide As a Way to avenge Lubeck. Source 2194 Days of War w h Smith publishers inc. World almanac Book of world War ii Bison books corp. 1981 a Simi Valley Calif. A a defense lawyer accused a prosecutor of impropriety at the Rodney King beating trial thursday and the judge delayed jury instructions briefly to investigate the matter. Attorney Michael Stone complained that Deputy District attorney Terry White in closing arguments accused him of lying. Jurors who will deliberate the charges against three los Angeles police officers and one former officer should be told to disregard the comments Stone said. A this was a personal attack a personal assault a Stone said. A the clearly accused me of misrepresenting the evidence a said the lawyer for officer Laurence Powell. A the did it with great drama at a time when he was very emotional. He said a can any of the people associated with Larry Powell Tell the truth a a Stone said he was not complaining about what he called a a stunt by White who left his lectern strode around the counsel table and pointedly accused Powell of lying. That he said was fair play. But he said a personal attack on an attorney was improper. A this purpose was not Only to vilify my client but to discredit his lawyers a said Stone. Superior court judge Stanley Weis Berg noted that Stone was not seeking apologies from defense lawyer John Barnett who accused his co counsel of soliciting lies against his client officer Theodore Briseno. White said a emr. Barnett came As close As possible to saying that defense lawyers sub orned perjury which is a lot More  Weisberg said he believed there had been an attack on stones argument by White but not a personal attack. However he agreed to examine the court transcript before deciding whether to instruct jurors about the matter. On wednesday Barnett and White delivered their final arguments in tones of loud righteous anger. White stunned the courtroom when he suddenly left the podium and raced toward Powell. A this is the Man a shouted White As he came within inches of Powell. A this Man laughed this Man taunted and he a denying it a Powell sat stunned but his lawyer leaped up and objected. The judge calmly told White a get Back to the podium please. Confine your argument to the  talks May face impasse Washington a israeli negotiators will come to Mideast peace talks in Washington next week ready to discuss with palestinian arabs ways to extend limited self Rule in the West Bank and Gaza israeli officials say. As a result the talks due to open on monday could quickly come to a head since the palestinians objected during negotiations last month to any interim agreements that did not hold out at least the Promise of statehood. If the palestinians totally reject israelis blueprint for discussions an immediate impasse could develop since Israel is equally Adamant that the negotiations Are about limited self Rule and not a palestinian state. Jordan Syria and Lebanon also will Send delegations to the talks. It will be the fifth round since a ceremonial opening last october in Madrid Spain. Bush administration officials have urged All sides to try to narrow their differences and to tackle the key issues of peace recognition and Security now that some difficult procedural disputes have been resolved