European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 12, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Wednesday january 12, 1994 nato Summit the stars and stripes Page 5 Clinton confident of Ukraine approval fight Likely on nuclear arms pact Brussels Belgium a presi Dent Clinton conceded tuesday that a plan to dismantle Ukraine s nuclear Force could face a Tough fight in the former so Viet Republic s parliament but he predicted its approval. Executives often have to sell to their legislative branches what they know is in the Best interests of their country Clin ton said. He likened ukrainian president Leo nid m. Kravchuk s fight for the new pact announced monday to his own oat tie for . Congressional approval of a free Trade pact with Mexico and Canada. Clinton who won that legislative fight spoke at a wrap up news conference after a two Day nato Summit. Afterwards Clinton met with european Union leaders and urged the 12-nation trading bloc to match nato overtures to former Warsaw pact countries by keeping markets open for goods from Eastern Europe. \ we must continue our efforts to expand global growth and world markets he said. Later Clinton flew to Prague capital of the czech Republic to do a sales Job of his own persuading former soviet bloc nations to embrace his partnership for peace plan. They will clearly understand that this is a very serious proposal that will expand nato rather than limit it Clinto said. ,. The program is designed to increase cooperation with nato through joint military and training exercises. Ultimately the partnership will Lead to an expansion of nato Clinton said. In Prague president Voclav Havel welcomed Clinton to Prague Castle. Havel said his country was very favor Able to the partnership for peace. Lithuania quickly expressed its intent to enter the partnership with president Algirdas Brazauskas instructing his government to Start immediate preparation to sign the document with the Western Alliance. Lithuania s interest in the initiative has drawn a Sharp response from Moscow which is opposed to nato s expanding to its Borders. Summing up the nato Summit pin ton told reporters i m glad we were Able to accomplish As much As we did  speaking in a briefing room at nato Headquarters the president said nato had taken a major step toward enhanced global Security in making the overture toward the former soviet republics and Warsaw pact nations. Clinton was asked about scepticism voiced by members of Ukraine s parliament toward the agreement to rid the nation of the 1,800 nuclear warheads left there when the soviet Union collapsed. The ukrainian parliament has blocked Kravchuk from implementing Ukraine s Promise two years ago to implement the 1991 strategic arms reduction treaty. I believe president Kravchuk will Honor the Deal Clinton said. They be already started to dismantle the missiles. This agreement guarantees compensation for Ukraine for their enriched Ura  the agreement holds out prospects of $1 billion in return for the uranium. However the text has not been completed leaving the Prospect the document might not be ready for signing when Clinton and Kravchuk meet rus Sian president Boris n. Yeltsin this week in Moscow ukrainian foreign ministry spokesman Yuri Sergeev said tuesday. Clinton is to Stop in Kiev Ukraine briefly today on his Way to Moscow to appear with Kravchuk and signal his sup port for the agreement. There will be a three Way signing ceremony Friday in two people walk past Kling lights set up on Prague s Charles Bridge in anticipation Moscow. President Clinton s visit to the capital of the czech Republic on tuesday. Way opened for peacekeeping units minus . Brussels Belgium a nato leaders approved a plan monday to deploy multinational task forces for peacekeeping duty across Eastern Europe on behalf of the United nations or the european Union. The combined joint task forces plan underscores nato s Post cold War focus on peacekeeping mis Sions and will enable Washington to stay out of any such missions if it wants. Officials said the idea of detaching forces from nato for instance by designating them As euro Pean Union peacekeepers will not weaken Ameri Ca s commitment to nato s collective defense. But it does mean that nato s european allies will have to take More responsibility for dealing with unrest in areas near nato s Eastern Borders. Under the plan Eastern european units could join Western european forces in peacekeeping missions officials said. The plan responds to aspirations by France and others to give a higher profile for the european Union s fledgling defense Arm the Western euro Pean Union but without breaking the trans Atlantic link. Nato must continue the adaptation of its com Mand and Force Structure after the cold War the nato leaders said in a statement that was due to be released tuesday. We will also need to strengthen the european pillar of the Alliance by facilitating the use of our military capabilities for nato and european we operations the statement added. That Means Washington could pull its troops out of a peacekeeping Force the european allies wanted to de ploy in a Bosnia Type conflict but the americans would Back up the europeans by keeping officers in the Chain of command and providing air and logistical sup port. The task Force idea Aims to make Allied intervention easier outside nato territory. By creating task forces that train together and function under a United command it envisages a rapid mobilization once a political decision to intervene has been made. Clinton s Welcome along with Alaska Moscow a most polled Moscow residents Are glad president Clinton is coining to visit and few think War with America is possible. But nearly a third believe Alaska should belong to Russia according to a poll released tuesday. An amazing 96 percent of those questioned were Able to identify Clinton As the . President just one year after he took office. And 26 percent rated him a better president than Boris n. Yeltsin. Thirty two percent said they believed Alaska purchased from Russia in 1867 for $7.2 million should belong to Russia. Nearly 50 percent said it now rightfully belongs to the United states. When the same question was asked about the Kuril islands seized from Japan by the soviet Union after world War ii 74 percent said they should remain russian territory and 10 percent said they should be returned. More than 70 percent said they believed a War Between the United states and Russia was either impossible or extremely unlikely. And 38 percent said they believed neither Side would win such a War. Sixty one percent said this week s Clinton Yeltsin Summit would be important with just 18 percent saying it would be a waste of time. The Telephone poll of 1,050 muscovites conducted Jan. 4-6, had a 3 percent margin of error. Companies urged to invest in Europe Brussels Belgium up presi Dent Clinton urged american companies tuesday to invest More in Central and East Ern Europe to keep the regions political and economic reforms from faltering. Saying that he would share the same message later in the Day with leaders of the european Union Clinton said i Hope that you arc representing companies that. Will take another and harder look about your prospects in former Central and East Ern Europe and beyond without private investment we cannot Hope to have economic development in the Region he said