European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 01, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Surat by. August 1, j993 world russians take aim at the stars and stripes Page 11 n inc irked. By the Washington Post Singapore in an intensifying Competition with . Firms russian arms manufacturers Are moving aggressively to Cash in on profits in Southeast asian markets. The sales Effort is going ahead despite the Region s increasing willingness to accommodate an american military presence by granting Access and repair arrangements for . Ships and planes following last year s american withdrawal from bases in the Philippines. By offering bargain prices and barter deals Russia has begun to make inroads among the association of Southeast asian nations a group of six no communist nations known As Asean which has Long been a mar Ket for . And other Western arms suppliers. The association which comprises Indonesia Malaysia thai land Singapore the Philippines and Brunei boasts a combined Gross Domestic product of nearly $350 billion and some of the world s fastest growing economies. Malaysia has announced its intention to split a major order for new warplanes by buying 18 russian Mig 29m fulcrum for about $780 million and eight advanced . F/a-18d hornets from Mcdonnell Doug Las corp. For an undisclosed Price. The predominantly Pec Ders compel ing with us. In Southe Stem nations a. Plane with 18 on Board crashes near Katmandu from wire reports Katmandu Nepal a commercial flight with 18 people aboard crashed saturday in mountains near Katmandu. The Fate of the occupants and the cause of the crash were not immediately known. A japanese and a hungarian were among the is passengers and three Crew members on Board the Everest air propeller plane when it went Down in de Ghat Village four Miles North of Bharat Pur Airport said Katmandu Airport manager Mohan Chandra Singh. Bombs damage rail line Madrid Spain two bombs damaged the rail line Between Madrid and Valencia on saturday but caused no injuries news reports said. An Anonymous caller to a Basque newspaper said the bombs were set by Eta the Basque separatist group lighting for the Independence of the Basque Region in Northern Spain. The explosions occurred just after noon about 62 Miles West of Valencia disrupting rail traffic for More than three hours. I. De Klerk visits Zambia Lusaka Zambia South african president . De Klerk arrived saturday on the first visit to Zambia by a Leader of the White run nation. The trip highlighted South Africa s growing acceptance among african nations As it moves to dismantle apartheid and give full political rights to Blacks. President Frederick Chiluba welcomed de Klerk who was scheduled to return to South Africa today. Hijacking suspect posts bail Madrid Spain syrian arms dealer Monzer Ai Kassar jailed for his alleged role in the 1985 hijacking of the italian cruise ship Achille Lauro left a Madrid prison Friday after posting a $14.8 million bail news reports said. Ai Kassar who was arrested at Madrid s Airport june 3,1992, put up some $1.5 million in Cash and offered two valuable Homes and several apartments in the Southern Mediterranean resort town of Marbella As collateral for the balance reports said. Muslim country of nearly 18 million people plans to pay the russians partly in Palm Oil. In addition Malaysia is considering russian offers of attack helicopters which were recently shown to a visit ing malaysian air Force team in Moscow. In Thailand the russian trading company Avi aex port has made a Strong pitch to sell the thai army Fleet of. Helicopter san a Semi barter Deal. Thai officials said the army is tempted by the offer of 33 Mi-17v Heli copters spare Apps a simulator and one vip Model for $130 rms Ionthe proposed Deal Calls for half the Money to be spent on imports of thai products including Rice. At an Asean conference in Singapore a week ago russian foreign minister Andrei v. Kozarev said his country would continue Selling arms in the Asia Pacific Region but would not violate any embargoes aggravate tension Aid International terrorism or offer any purely offensive weapons such As Long Range bombers. According to a senior Pentagon official Washington generally views the russian arms sales As commercial matters rather than of a political or National Security nature and recognizes that Moscow badly needs the Money. We believe arms sales Are a perfectly valid form of Enterprise the american said. As Long As the weapons do not fuel arms races Supply terrorists or raise non proliferation concepts he said Welcome to the  while ceding ground to the russians in the regional arms Trade and despite withdrawing its troops from the Philippines last year the United states is determine to maintain a Strong Forward military presence in the area . Officials told Asean members in Singapore. In fact military Access and cooperation agreements As Well As existing defense treaties have allowed the . Military to diversify its presence in the Region and take up some of the Slack from the loss of its air Force and naval bases in the Philippines . And Asea officials said. The Philippines May have done us a favor said an official from Singapore which strongly supports . Military deployments in the Region. By refusing to renew a . Bases agreement he said Manila focused the minds of other Asean countries on the Prospect of a . Pullout that could jeopardize the re Gion s booming economic growth. The result has been More vocal support from Asean members for the . Military presence in the Region and greater willingness to accommodate it. Having a blast in Baghdad Wahab 7, fires imaginary bullets As he rides a mock scud the Craft is a miniature of those that iraqi forces fired a missile recently at an amusement Park in Baghdad Iraq. Israel and saudi Arabia during the persian Gulf War. Soviet role in korean War depicted Washington up newly released russian files describe a deep soviet involvement in the korean War including a map drawn up in 1950 by Josef Sta Lin s military advisers . News and world report said saturday. The Magazine said its report based on recently opened russian archives and research by russian and . Historians fills key gaps in the historical record of Long suspected soviet involvement in the three year conflict. More than 60,000 soviet equipped North korean troops invaded South Korea in june 1950, trying to seize the territory controlled by the United states and its allies after world War ii. Some 200,000 chinese troops later joined the Battle on behalf of the North korean Side of the War but the extent of soviet involvement has remained a matter of cold War debate. The War itself ended in a stalemate in. Jury 1953. . News said its report was based on newly Avail Able records and interviews with former soviet officials who spoke publicly for the first time and had knowl Edge of Moscow s role in the korean War. The Magazine said the new claims included Stalin s military advisers Drew up a map in 1950 that showed How North korean troops would invade South Korea. The original War plan was approved in Moscow and it called for a one week conflict. The North koreans planned to seize Seoul within three Days and take All of South Korea within seven Days. Soviet pilots battled the . Air Force in the Early months of the War using plants transported secretly to air bases along the manchurian Border. The soviet pilots wore chinese uniforms and were trained to use chinese phrases on their radios to hide their involve ment in the War. Stalin severely reprimanded North korean Leader Kim ii Sung for answering not yet when he was asked whether his forces were prepared for the invasion of South Korea. Kim was forced to sit outside Stalin s of fice for hours until he changed his answer