European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 3, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Pages a the stars and stripes sunday May 3,1992 War was punishment afghan s new Leader urges amnesty for Najibullah a it --.1__ Kabul Afghanistan a Afghanistan a new president Friday urged amnesty for his deposed predecessor and offered a glimpse of the islamic governments views saying a woman should not Lead the country. President sing Atullah Mojaddidi in his first Public appearance in the capital since ending his 20-year exile monday also urged rival guerrilla factions to Stop fighting. Muslims crowded into mosques Friday the first Muslim Sabbath since Mojaddidi and a 50-member interim Council replaced the remnants of the communist government they battled for 14 years. Hundreds of bearded men in Long Robes recited verses from the Koran under a soaring Blue domed ceiling at Kabul scentral Pul i Chishti mosque and hundreds More crowded outside to get a glimpse of their new Leader. A god almighty has fulfilled his Promise a Mojaddidi said his voice echoing in the huge chamber. Dozens of guerrilla bodyguards with assault rifles stood among the worshippers. Mojaddidi a 65-year-old theology professor affirmed a comparatively moderate course for the worlds newest islamic state. Even so he suggested the civil War had been a divine punishment on afghans for failing to obey strict islamic Law. A Wallah said that they should be punished so he Jet the worst country in the world the soviet Union invade our country a Mojaddidi said. The eventual rebel Victory he said a proved that there is Only one superpower in the world  speaking earlier at a government mosque Mojaddidi Saia there would be no Benefit to putting ousted president Najibullah on trial and suggested that the former Leader should be granted amnesty along with others who worked in or cooperated with Najibullah a government. Quot if Najibullah will be punished if Najibullah will be killed what will we get from this a Mojaddidi said. A but if we give him amnesty and he returns to god to religion to repent maybe he can serve in the Field  heirs return go s Booty to Germany Berlin apr texan Joe Meador was a Soldier who left Germany with More than memories after world War ii. His souvenir a priceless medieval treasure and some say a lock of the Virgin Mary a hair. After two years of Legal wrangling and a nearly $3 million payment to Meadors heirs Germany last week welcomed Home the jewel encrusted religious relics of its Royal past. A these Are among the most important relics of German history a said Klaus Maurice of the German cultural foundation. The nine items arrived from Dallas on wednesday and were put on display in Glass cases at berlins Art history museum on thursday. They include a Rock Crystal reliquary shaped like a fish that some historians claimed holds a lock of hair from the Virgin Mary. It also includes a 9th or 10th Century reliquary made of Silver Gold Ivory and precious jewels with the image of Henry 1 of Saxony who was elected King of Germany in 919. Henry a jewelled Ivory and Gold comb believed to have been used to comb out sin during religious ceremonies is also in the collection. Other items include two rare jewel inlaid manuscripts. The items Range in origin from the 8th to the 16th centuries and some were crafted under the rules of Charlemagne 768-814 and Otto i 936-973. A journalist examines a jewel encrusted Box one of the que Lynburg Art treasures. The artefacts disappeared from Germany following world War ii and surfaced in Texas. They had been stored at the lutheran Church in que Linburg for centuries until 1945, when . Forces occupied the East German City 120 Miles Southwest of Berlin. Meador was a . Army lieutenant guarding a mine Shaft where the goods were hidden and apparently took a chunk of the Booty Back to White Wright Texas. The East German communist regime that followed the division of Germany had Little interest in tracking it Down. But after the communists fell in 1989, the two Germany teamed to Hunt the que Linburg treasure and countless other items that vanished in the Wake of the War. Two years ago the Berlin cultural foundation quietly purchased a 9th Century que Linburg manuscript from a third unidentified party. That transaction led Art investigators to the rest of the collection which had been left to Meadors brother and sister in Texas after he died in 1980. The que Linburg Church sued for their return. In february the Meador siblings agreed to relinquish the goods for nearly $3 million. They also agreed to cooperate with the Hunt for pieces still missing a what is believed to of roughly half of the que Linburg collection. The items will be on display in Berlin until october when they finally return to que Linburg. Najibullah who formerly headed the feared secret police is believed to be hiding in Kabul. Guerrilla groups have been split on whether to allow him to leave. After two months Mojaddidi is to hand Over Power to Burhanuddin Rabbani a Leader of the relatively moderate Jamaal i islami party. After six months a new governing Council will take Over until elections Are held within two years. Mojaddidi urged afghans to select a Leader carefully a and avoid choosing a woman. A the weakest nations in the world Are those that had a woman As a Leader a he said. Nonetheless he added a i Hope there will be no misunderstanding men and women have the same  Afghanistan a Economy and infrastructure have been devastated by the Long War. At the United nations officials said Friday that the world body a representative for Afghanistan Benon Sevan is preparing a plan for emergency assistance and repatriation of about 5 million refugees. Cheney cites North korean Flash Point Sydney Australia up a defense Secretary Dick Cheney pledging americans continued engagement in Asia and the Pacific said Friday that North Korea is the major a Flash Point for concerns in the Region. A was i look around the world at places where . Forces Are deployed where we could conceivably be at War within the next 24 hours then North Korea is it a Cheney said during a five Day visit to Australia. He said the United states remains committed to the Asia Pacific Region. A your presence has helped Check potential aggression and adventurism and provided a reassuring level of stability in Uncertain times. I believe this role must continue in the years ahead a he said. A in the aftermath of the cold War we Are restructuring the . Armed forces a he said. A that Effort allows us to take advantage of a new Opportunity to reduce the size of our forces safely without diminishing the Basic military capability we need to maintain. A we Are also making appropriate adjustments in Asia and the Pacific. But americans continued engagement in this Region should be beyond  Cheney named several a Flash Points for concerns in the Region putting North Korea at the top of the list. A currently two thirds of North koreans million Man army is deployed within 30 Miles of the demilitarized zone a Cheney said. A the Prospect of a nuclear North Korea particularly with missile delivery systems is one of the most dangerous and destabilizing  russian tax May prompt foreigners to leave Moscow apr westerners working in Russia Are howling in protest Over a new income tax Law laying claim to 60 percent of their earnings. Some Are threatening to pack up and go Home unless the government backs Down. A some people will leave for sure a said Andrew Iva Nyi general manager of Moscow a new Canadian run Aerostat hotel. A we As a company might have to Cut the number of expatriates that we Nave. It will invariably mean that everybody  the new Law on taxation of individuals income applies to All foreigners who live in Russia More than six months of the year and whose income worldwide exceeds 420,000 rubles $3,500 at the current Exchange rate. Some aspects of the Law remain murky such As exactly How it will be enforced and whether it covers citizens of other nations in the Commonwealth of Independent states. It requires foreigners to give the government an estimate of their 1992 income by May 15. Only diplomats Are exempt. The deadline has pushed businesses from several countries to band together to lobby the government arguing that the High tax rate could cripple Small businesses and discourage new businesses from opening at a time when Russia badly needs foreign investment and Western know How. Meanwhile Many foreigners Are looking for w around the Law. A a in be been told that some companies Are consid Erir scheme to rotate expatriates so that nobody a Here More than six months a said Edgar Fulton Nead of . Embassy a commercial office. Even the Moscow tax inspectorate is sympathetic. I think it is unfair to take away 60 percent of Peop income a said Vladimir Voronkov head of the Dep ment that collects income tax from foreigners. Under soviet Law foreigners were required to pay percent income tax but it was rarely enforced. Voron Sec in foreigners paid income tax in Mosco it