European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 31, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Today s rates following Are fixed rates at which Community banking and credit Union facilities will sell foreign currencies to . Personnel for personal use German Mark a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a 169 British Pound a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a 1,54. Dutch Guilder. 1.89 greek drachma. 243.7768 note the rates above apply within the Host country. Figures Are expressed in dollars to the British Pound other currencies to the Dollar following Are Interbank rates that fluctuate and should be regarded As the approximate value of the . Dollar to foreign currencies. Italian lira 1,694.40 turkish lira. 17,194.70 Spanish peseta a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a 140.25 portuguese escudo a a a a a a a a a a a a a 174.35 austrian Schilling 12.1875 Saud Riyal 3.7493 bahraini Dinar 0.37675 kuwaiti Dinar 0.2976 norwegian Krone a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a 7.457 danish Krone a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a it 6.735 British Pound. 1.4985 German Mark 1.7335 Swiss franc. 1,466 French franc. 5.894 dutch Guilder. 1.9423 belgian franc 35.82 Canadian Dollar 1.319 note figures Are expressed Liv dollars to the British Pound other currencies to the Dollar Gold quote $378.15 an ounce Silver quote $5.00 an ounce. Federal layoffs probable unless buyouts approved by Stephen Barr the Washington Post Washington at least four Federal departments and agencies probably will have to Lay off thousands of employees this year unless Congress approves a a buyouts to Speed voluntary departures according to administration officials. The agriculture Interior and transportation departments and office of personnel management Are at the most risk for reductions in Force or rims a government jargon for Layoff a the officials said primarily because of tight budgets this year. The administration still Hopes to avoid such layoffs but pressure to hold Down payroll costs will continue into next year. The budget for fiscal 1995, due out next monday will require at least three More agencies to reduce personnel Levels said Christopher Paley associate director of the office of management and budget. Edley did not identify the departments and agencies at risk. The Prospect of refs has set off Waves of anxiety inside the administration. Officials said layoffs would undercut initiatives to reshape or streamline the bureaucracy deplete the ranks of minorities women and younger workers in the civil service and Hurt morale. The administration had counted on being Able to offer buyouts of up to $25,000 in fiscal 1994, which ends sept. 30, As an incentive to get workers to resign voluntarily or take Early retirement. But the legislation stalled late last year when the congressional budget office estimated it would Cost $519 million Over the next five years primarily because of increased costs to the Federal pension system. Now time is running out on whether the buyouts might even be Cost effective. During the presidential Campaign candidate Bill Clinton pledged to Cut the Federal work Force by 100,000 employees by the end of fiscal 1995. Clinton said it would be accomplished through attrition or voluntary departures. The work Force reduction goal was increased by another 152,000 last year after vice president a1 Gore completed a six month performance review of the government. But attrition rates throughout the government have fallen to historic lows partly because of the recent economic slump. In general Federal employees appear fearful of taking their chances in the private sector when a number of major corporations Are laying off workers. In addition anticipating possible buyouts older Federal workers apparently decided to postpone retirement plans to see whether they could obtain a better separation package. Protest embargo woes Paris of a air inter Frances Domestic airline experienced More mechanical problems Friday with a newly delivered Airbus a33q-and grounded the plane indefinitely. The troubled plane is the first a330 to go into service anywhere and the grounding Marks a setback for Airbus the four nation european aircraft consortium that ranks second to Boeing co. Of the United states in world sales. Air inter said the plane took off Friday morning on a flight from Paris to Marseille but had to return to orly Airport within minutes because the Landing gear could not be raised. Similar incidents occurred Jan. 18 and 19, each time forcing the plane to Cut Short its flight soon after Takeoff. Air inter a subsidiary of state owned air France said its decision to ground the plane was made in consultation with Airbus which would proceed with further work to Clear up the problem. Fearing that potential buyers will be discouraged by the incident the chairmen of air inter and Airbus held a joint news conference to play Down the problem As a a isolated to one plane. Port a Prince Haiti a at noon Friday one of Haiti a biggest building Supply stores pulled its blinds. Other stores followed suit As businesses Hurt by International Trade sanctions shut Down in protest leaving workers out of a Job until the strike ends feb. 9. A we want to put the International Community on the spot a said Max Vil lard the vice president of the chamber of Commerce a they say they Are our friends. Well the notion of Friendship had better be  Haiti the poorest nation in the Western hemisphere is reeling under a  fuel embargo. The United states Canada Venezuela and France want to expand the embargo to include about everything except food and Medicine. The measure a the latest Effort to Force military leaders to step aside and permit the return of exiled president Jean Bertrand Aristide a could come this week. Businesses say the sanctions Are forcing them into bankruptcy. Workers have no Choice but to go along with the strike even though they wont get paid for nearly two weeks. A we have our opinions but we do not have the right to express them a said one worker powdered from the Cement bag he carried. A a we la cat less until the store  the Man who would not give his name earns the equivalent of $5.75 a Day working at the building Supply store which employs hundreds. He gets a Christmas Bonus but no vacation or sick leave. Labor leaders say Haiti a political turmoil has Cost the country 350,000 jobs. Soldiers have killed hundreds of haitians a haitian contractor steers while his workers push his truck Friday after it ran out of Gas As they tried to Stock up on construction supplies before the Start of a strike. Since ousting Aristide the nations first freely elected president in 1991. The army has spurned a  plan to restore democracy. The crippling gasoline embargo took effect last fall. A democracy cannot be built on the ruins of the nations Economy a major business associations said in a joint statement Friday. Not All shops and factories were closing at least initially. But one hardware _ a j a i _ j .1. _. _ at it it a store owner predicted that Many a will jump on the bandwagon this week. He would not let himself be identified for fear of reprisals. A hotels will limit service to the strict minimum. Travel agents will open for one hour this week to return passports and visas. The owner of a clothing factory said he would close but refused to say whether he would compensate his More than 2,000 workers. Pierre Saint Remy who owns Haiti match co. In the West coast town of go natives said he was going to give his-100 workers a weeks pay. A i can to do any More than that. What with the gasoline shortage i would have had to close in two weeks anyway. They want to kill us a he said pointing at the . Embassy across the Street. Running on by the new York times los Angeles a the Walt Disney  troubled european theme Park apparently has run Short of Cash and is making use of $175 million in financial Aid set aside by its american Parent an Industry analyst said Friday. Disney based in Burbank calif., took a $350 million charge against earnings in its fourth Quarter which ended sept. 30. Half of that was to cover the operating needs of euro Disney the theme Park outside Paris through March 31, Disney a deadline for a financial restructuring. The american company owns 49 percent of the Park which had losses of $902 million last fiscal year and has been losing Money since opening in april 1992, in what some regard As a negotiating tactic to put pressure on euro Disney a 60 creditor Banks and the French government Disney has said that the Park May close. Jill s. Krutick of Salomon Brothers was sceptical that Disney would make Good on the threat. A a there a so much at stake a she said a and it would taint Disney a ability to open new theme Parks particularly  another analyst who asked not to be identified said euro Disney had begun tapping the financial reserves set aside. Euro Disney officials could not be reached for comment. A a it dear they needed the Cash a said Richard Simon of Goldman Sachs amp co. A when Wasny to important to  # the fourth Quarter charge also Means that Disney has a written off the entire investment a said Thomas j. Deegan a Disney spokesman. He said the rest of the provision was a Reserve against funds owed by euro Disney for costs like royalties. In a letter received by shareholders last week Michael d. Eisner Disney a chairman said euro Disney a if Only judged by the financial performance was barely a  Quot v this week some. F euro Disney a lenders Are expected to meet and  findings of an audit