European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 28, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse Saturday May 28, 1994 the stars and stripes Page 5 russian commandos capture kidnappers Rescue 4representing the Queen Prince Charles and Monika Diepgen wife of Berlin mayor Eberhard Diepgen pose in front of Berlin s Brandenburg Gate on Friday during the Princess visit to take the Salute at the Queens birthday Parade the last British military Parade before the troops leave the German capital. Many berliners enjoyed the March spectacle for decades but the tradition is ending As British soldiers withdraw along with ., French and russian troops who Are leaving Eastern Germany this summer. British soldiers will March with And French troops at a joint fare Well Parade june 18. Moscow apr commandos captured a gang of kidnappers and freed their four hos Lages unharmed in Southern Russia on Friday hours after the gunmen fled aboard a helicopter with millions of dollars in Ransom police said. A Quot a one kidnapper was killed in a shootout with special forces from the Interior ministry including the crack Alpha unit said Alexander Kalmykow a police official in the Southern russian City of Mineral Nye Vody. The kidnapping was similar to a hostage taking in december in Southern Russia. There were conflicting reports about the size of the Ransom that had been paid this week the amount was described As $4 million and $10 million by various spokesmen. The kidnappers Mi-8 helicopter took off from Minera Vnye Vody at 9 15 . With a. Three Man military Crew at the controls said maj. Viktor Gusakov an Interior ministry spokesman in the resort City. Military helicopters carrying anti terrorist squads were close behind he said. About three hours later the Mi-8 landed near the settlement of Bacha Yurt in chechen about 10 Miles from the Border with the Region of Dagestad. Three of the kidnappers were captured almost immediately Kalmykow said. The fourth tried to flee into the nearby Woods then died in a gun Battle with the special forces he said. Interior ministry spokesman Yuri Reshet Nik said the hostage takers were citizens of chechen a mountainous breakaway Region of Russia famed for its fierce Warrior culture and for its ruthless criminal gangs. The hostage drama began thursday afternoon when the four men armed with guns and a grenade seized a bus loaded with schoolchildren teachers and parents. Leaving the Driver and most of the male passengers behind they headed for the Airport at Mineral Nye Vody 800 Miles South of Moscow with 29 hostages including eight children. In route to Minera Vnye Vody police surrounded the bus at the Village of kingly. The kidnappers threatened to decapitate the children. A. After several hours of negotiations they traded the children and one adult for four Kalashnikov assault rifles ammunition four flak jackets night vision devices and 10 containers of morphine Gusakov said. At Mineral nyc Vody the kidnappers let Airport workers bring food and water to their 20 remaining captives. The kidnappers negotiated with authorities Over a portable radio. Early Friday the kidnappers traded All but four hostages for millions of dollars in Cash the Mi-8 helicopter and three More automatic rifles. / v a a Quot a Ain the four Day december Saga four gunmen swapped a dozen schoolchildren from Rostov on Don for $10 million and a helicopter. Their getaway failed when the helicopters engine stalled and they had to make a forced Landing in the mountains where they were captured. A a none of the hostages was injured but hundreds of thousands of dollars of the Ransom Money disappeared after the kidnappers tossed handfuls of Bills out of the has new weapon in tobacco Battle by Bill Moss St. Petersburg times Tallahassee Fla. The state gained new Powers thursday to sue cigarette makers for millions of dollars in medical costs tied to smoking. Gov Lawton Chiles signed into Law the a tobacco liability Bill a setting up what is Likely to be a colossal fight with powerful tobacco interests. A with this Law Florida sends a loud and Clear message to the tobacco giants they will be held accountable for sponsoring sickness and death a a Chiles said at a Bill signing ceremony. The Law presents a Challenge to the tobacco Industry which Hasni to lost a liability suit brought by an individual smoker. It was immediately blasted by the Industry which called on the legislature to repeal the Law immediately and promised a constitutional Challenge if it does no to. With his signature Chiles ensured that the Law could become a bargaining Chip in the Battle Over health care Reform during a special session next month. Using the Law which takes effect july 1, Chiles wants to file a lawsuit to recover $289 million a year in medicaid costs that his health care Agency attributes to smoking related illness. While the Law might help the state recover medicaid costs it wont apply to individuals seeking damages from cigarette makers. Chiles mentioned a new Survey show ing that 70 percent of Florida voters rate government waste As their top concern. A if you can show me a bigger waste of $289 million of the stale a Money to like to know where it is a he said. On monday Mississippi became the first government to file a class action suit seeking reimbursement for state health care costs linked to smoking. Distributed by Scripps Howard news service of nato partnership Brussels Belgium a Kazakhstan joined natos partnership for peace program Friday the 19th nation to sign up for Post cold War military and political cooperation Wilh the West pm Alliance. A a a the Accord was signed by Kazakhstan a foreign minister Kanat Saud Abaev at a meeting with the envoys of the 16 nations that make up the North Atlantic treaty organization. Speaking to reporters later Saud Abaev called the partnership a an important contribution to Security not Only for Europe but also for his giant country which Borders Russia and China. Kazakhstan inherited nuclear arms from the former soviet Union. Saud Abaev said his country has begun returning these weapons to Moscow and will stick to its commitment to Send All weapons Back. Natos partnership for peace lets nato have bilateral accords of military and political cooperation with its former cold War foes who can make the cooperation As Broad and intense As they like. The program was launched in january at a nato Summit in Brussels. To Date 19 nations have signed up �?-17 in Eastern and Central Europe plus Sweden and Finland which were Neutral during the cold War. Nato has also offered a partnership to Russia but Moscow has issued conditions before signing. Its defense minister Pavel Grachev said in Brussels this week that Moscow wants far closer ties than a simple partnership for peace Deal. He said Russia will sign such an Accord Only if nato also Grants Russia regular and formal Security consultations. Brussels Belgium apr nato Secretary general Manfred Werner who has been suffering from cancer has no intention of stepping Down officials say. Werner missed a two Day meeting of defense ministers of the 16-nation North Atlantic treaty organization prompting speculation that he might be forced to give up his Post. But Alliance officials sought thursday to quash any rumours by saying he has no plans to resign from the position he Nas held since 1988. Werner 59, a former German defense minister was diagnosed with intestinal cancer in 1992. Officials said Werner had written a letter to defense ministers tuesday the Start of the meeting to say his doctors had advised him not to attend. To do so he said a might Well damage the chances of a full recovery a in the letter Werner wrote a it was my firm intention to leave the Hospital in time to chair the meetings. Even my doctors were hopeful that this would be possible. A however they now advise me that previous untimely interruptions of my convalescence have taken their toll and that another premature return might Well damage the chances of a full recovery. A this time i have decided to follow their advice and take no irresponsible he also said a i do not expect to stay for Long in the he has been recovering in a Hospital in Aachen Germany. Amp
