European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 28, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Thursday May 28, 1992 the stars and stripes b Page 7nato trims command Structure european nations Given More leadership positions by Rosemary Sawyer Brussels Bureau Brussels Belgium nato defense ministers approved a new streamlined command Structure for the Central and Northwestern regions in Europe that shifts greater leadership responsibility to european members. The new command structures a reflect the increasing responsibility taken by the european members of the Alliance for the defense of Europe a nato Secretary general Manfred Worner said wednesday. Reducing the number and size of Headquarters will also involve a a substantial savings and a 20 percent Cut in personnel Worner said. The ministers approved organization plans for its three major regional commands in december. In that meeting the defense chiefs approved a plan to Combine United kingdom air forces with Allied forces Northern Europe to form Allied forces Northwest Europe. This major command along with two others a Allied forces Central Europe and Allied forces Southern Europe a will make up the framework for Alliance forces in Post cold War Europe. In the Central Region three subordinate commands will come under its existing Headquarters in Brun sum Netherlands. The three commands will replace the current five at that level. They Are a Allied forces Baltic approaches to be headed by a danish three Star general in Karup Denmark. A Allied air forces Central Europe to be led by a . Four Star general at Ramstein a Germany. A Allied land forces Central Europe to be commanded alternately by dutch and German four Star generals in Heidelberg Germany. This last command reflects a shift from . Leadership. Currently the commander of . Army Europe also Heads natos Central army group out of Heidelberg. The Brun sum Headquarters will continue to be led by a German four Star general. The alliances consolidated Northwestern Region which will be led by a British four Star officer and based at High Wycombe England will also be made up of three commands. These Are a Allied naval forces Northwest Europe to be commanded by a British four Star general at Northwood England. A Allied air forces Northwest Europe to be commanded by a British four Star general at High Wycombe. A Allied forces North Europe to be commanded by a norwegian three Star general in Norway. Officials Are considering locating the Headquarters in Jatta but an exact location has not been confirmed. The Structure for natos Atlantic command was similarly decided by the ministers. Further details regarding the Europe command and the Atlantic command Structure were not made available wednesday. Specifics on the Southern regions command breakdown Are still being worked out. In a statement released at the close of their two Day meeting wednesday the ministers said they also reviewed natos work in restructuring and reducing its Overall forces. Natos multinational standing naval forces will constitute the Core of its maritime reaction forces with the new standing naval Force in the Mediterranean having taken its place last month alongside standing forces Atlantic and Channel the statement said. Also announced at the meeting Are the target dates for bringing the alliances reaction forces into action. Allied come Europe a reaction forces planning staff will Start operating in october. And the reaction Force air staff is to be up and running by next Spring. The Headquarters for the commands rapid reaction corps begin operations in october building up to full operational capability by 1995, the statement said. Headquarters for the multinational div Central will become operational in 1994 and the multinational div South in 1995. The two divisions Are the rapid reaction corps Only truly multinational divisions. Its other five divisions will be made up of troops from one or two countries. The Southern multinational division will include italian turkish and greek troops. The Central division will have belgian German dutch and British Scricc members. The ministers also agreed in principle that Alliance infrastructure resources could be used to pay the costs of pre positioning . Equipment in Europe for wartime use. The United states spends More than $250 million each year on Upkeep of such things As pre positioned equipment facilities contingency hospitals and ammunition depots. However Worner said a specific . Request for nato to pick up such costs would have to be weighed against other requirements paid out of the commonly funded infrastructure pot.. Firms must go global Gao official says by Kevin Robinson Staft writer Frankfurt Germany a american businesses must learn to sell products on a global scale if they Are to compete effectively in overseas markets an official from the . General accounting office said wednesday during a speech in Frankfurt. William j. Anderson assistant comptroller general and director of the european office of the Gao spoke before the German american chamber of Commerce about improving and promoting . Trade overseas. The Gao a 50-person staff in Frankfurt evaluates the efficiency of government operations conducted in Africa the near East Middle East and Europe. Their findings Are presented to Congress through formal expert testimony recommendations and reports. During his speech Anderson said the Gao has recommended that the government develop a better strategic plan for promoting american products overseas and make sure that the Federal budget Falls in line with this plan. A a lot of american companies have been very Content and have done Well within that vast Market we have in the United states a Anderson said. A one of the reasons the european Community is trying to create a unified Market is to duplicate what the . Had with 250 million people in this vast Continental Market. A but right now we Are trying to get some of these people who truly produce world class products to not be Content with the . Market but to Start thinking overseas and get out there. Its happening. Many companies Are proving  the United states surpassed Germany last year As the worlds top exporter Anderson said. However americans Are still the worlds top importer of foreign products resulting in the unfavourable Trade balance. Anderson said for the United states to reach a favourable Trade balance a like the japanese who exceeded $40 billion in overseas exports last year a fall you have to do is produce world class products. Everything you produce must be the Best in the world. Unfortunately we have a Long Way to go to get to that  a the japanese have succeeded in maintaining this highly favourably Trade balance some people would assert because of restrictions on the importation of goods into their Domestic Market. We Haven to studied it ourselves to confirm or deny it but its so widely held we All know there s some truth to  Anderson said there Are several ways american businesses can improve their share of overseas markets. First he said companies must provide a world class producers. Whether a firm chooses to sell its products in Frankfurt Germany or Frankfort ky.,firms that do not meet this world class test May not  next Anderson Drew a parallel Between Quality management and increased customer and worker satisfaction. And he added that a government can help increase a country a overseas competitiveness by creating policies that make it easier for businesses to invest in new plants equipment research and development. Anderson said More . Government assistance especially for smaller businesses is needed to help promote Trade abroad. In 1990, the . Government spent $231 million to promote exports. This put them fourth behind european competitors a France Italy and the United kingdom with similar government Aid programs in promoting exports. The French government spent $417 million to support its exports. A a today a global marketplace provides Consumers with better and lower Cost products than would otherwise be available a Anderson said. To make a significant splash in this global Market the . Must a a increase the production and Export of products where the . Enjoys a competitive Edge. This is what Trade promotion is All