European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 14, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 8 a the stars and stripes f world Ukraine refuses to sign Cis charter As it stands Moscow up a Ukraine said it will not sign the charter of the Commonwealth of Independent states worked out at fridays meeting of Cis Heads of govern ment increasing speculation that Kiev is set to opt out of the Post soviet Commonwealth. Ukrainian prime minister Leonid Kuchma told the russian news Agency itar Tass that Quot the president of Ukraine will not sign the Cis charter in the form it assumed at the Moscow Summit which was attended by delegates from 10 of the 15 former soviet republics. The draft charter first initiated by Cis presidents in the kyrgyz capital of Bishkek last month is due to be signed at the next presidential Summit to be held dec. 4 in Minsk the capital of Belarus. The failure to come up with a Quot Rule books defining exactly what the 11-month-old Commonwealth actually is has severely weakened the organizations image and led to tensions Between member states who argue incessantly about what future they see for the Post soviet grouping. Some like Ukraine see it As a an instrument for a civilized divorce a a forum for discussing the unsolved property disputes that proliferated after the soviet Union collapsed last december leaving the former republics scrambling to Divide up its assets. Others like the Central asian Republic of Ever wonder where swans spend the Winter nearly 100 of the creatures from the Alster River in Hamburg Germany kick off their annual trek this week in a rather unusual Way instead of flying to a warmer locale Paris apr an escort ship accompanying a japanese freighter carrying 1.7 tons of plutonium suddenly turned Oft its lights in an apparent attempt to confuse environmentalists tailing it a Greenpeace spokeswoman said. The Shi Kishima an armed japanese coast guard ship escorting the Akatsuka Maru blacked out its lights after Nightfall thursday and moved extremely close to the freighter said Barbara Van Der Hock. A we warned them on Channel 16, the emergency Channel and after that they moved right beside the Akatsuka Maru and tried to be one spot on the radar a Van Der Hoek said in a Telephone interview from the Greenpeace ship new York which is tailing the japanese freighter. A it s a very dangerous and irresponsible thing to do on the High seas. Can you imagine what would happen Kazakhstan see the Commonwealth turning into a new confederation with much closer integration among member states coordinated economic policies Ana greater political cooperation. At Friday s Moscow meeting Ukraine a position was backed by Turkmenistan a Central asian Republic that strongly opposes boosting the Commonwealth s status. Ukraine announced thursday it was officially quitting the Ruble zone and creating its own National currency a move that further distances it from Cis states that have pledged to stick with the ailing Ruble. Ukraine the second most populous of the former soviet republics says it wants to sign bilateral treaties with other republics rather than expand the functions of the Commonwealth which it sees As a superstate Structure interfering in its internal affairs. The prime ministers meeting Friday adopted All 18 Points on the Agenda which included documents on visa arrangements for Cis citizens a Cis television company an interstate space authority and a Commonwealth securities Market. They also agreed on military issues including plans to ease the Exchange of information Between the Cis joint armed forces and the armies of individual states As Well As plans for training military personnel for the Commonwealth forces. They were rounded up and brought to their Winter abode in wooden skiffs the exact location of the swans Winter Home was not revealed but it was said to be a Safe warm place somewhere in the City. If the two ships collide Quot she said. Takashi Suyama an official at the maritime safety Agency Japan s coast guard said he could not comment on whether the escort ship blacked out the lights because a that involves the Content of the escort  a we have fully secured the safety of the shipment a he  escort ship moved to within 100 Yards or less of the freighter said Van Der Hoek from the Bridge of the new York which was about five Miles behind the pair. A they May separate and we wont know which one is which a she said. A a they re trying to get rid of us. Its really  the ships were about 480 Miles West Northwest of Las Palmas in the Canary islands Between the canaries and the azores. Saturday november 14,1992400 iraqi prisoners freed Iran seeks reciprocity from wire reports Nicosia Cyprus a Iran released 400 iraqi prisoners of War thursday and said it expected Baghdad to reciprocate by releasing iranian prisoners captured in the nations 1980-88 War. The islamic Republic news Agency monitored in Nicosia said the iraqi prisoners were handed Over to iraqi officials at the Khosravi Border Post. The state run Agency quoted an a informed source a usually a description of a foreign ministry official As saying that a a Iran a humanitarian move indicated its Goodwill and we expect Iraq to reciprocate our  Trees grow sicker Bonn a two thirds of the Trees in Germany arc sick according to an annual report released thursday. Agriculture and forestry minister Ignatz kick hic said 68 percent of Trees were sick up from 64 percent last year. He said 27 percent of the total number of Trees in Germany were seriously damaged by pollution and atmospheric conditions.$56 bar Tab leads to death Jakarta Indonesia a a new yorker was killed by Security guards for not paying a $56 Tab in a hotel bar a police official said thursday. Steven Allen Nelson 32, a new York City stockbroker was attacked by four hotel guards and two other men in the Minteng hotel parking lot after he left without paying his Bill said the police official maj. Of Roseno. Of Roseno said the fight started when one of the men angered Nelson by telling him he was a no  the american tourist was beaten with a helmet and a piece of Wood and slashed with a knife on his left Side and Back of Roseno said. Nelson died on the Way to the Hospital he said.22.480-foot Peak scaled Katmandu three . Climbers scaled the 22.480-foot Ama dab am on nov. 7, the ministry of tourism reported thursday. The team included Todd Burleson 32, who already had climbed the 29,198-foot mount Everest the world s tallest Peak. The others were Jason Keith 29, and Scott Cole 35.vampires spook russian City Moscow a residents of the Northern russian City of Volonda have More to worry about than just inflation or unemployment. What they fear most is vampires according to a poll published in the local newspaper. A Energy vampires that could a suck out their life Energy Are especially feared said the itar Tass news Agency. Witches and Black magic came second on the list says the poll published in Russky sever russian North. They were followed by a silly Bosses and their stupid  bites Captain s Finger London a a . Ship Captain was hospitalized Friday in Britain after having part of his Finger bitten off by a lion while at sea. Gene Cameron 51, returned to the Bridge of his ship soon after being bitten thursday by the lion which was travelling As cargo near a German port. He managed to bring his Container vessel into the next port of Call in the City of Felixstowe in Suffolk about 60 Miles Northeast of  Sale ties record London a five 19th Century condoms have been sold for More than $12,000 in an auction at Christie a. The auction House said one condom sold thursday for $5,000, equating the world record Price for a condom. It was described in the Catalon As a rare male contraceptive device of animal membrane Quot decorated with an erotic scene. A decorated French condom fetched the same Price at the auctioneers first Sale of condoms earlier this year Christie a said. The buyers and Sellers thursday were not disclosed. A flying South by boat escort ship for plutonium freighter turns off lights to elude Greenpeace