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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (April 24, 1990)
i REMEMBER — Registration ends May 4,1990 at 5 p.m. Simply walk in to: Division of Continuing Studies Registration Office - Room 271 Nebraska Center for Continuing Education 33rd and Holdrege For more information contact the Department of Evening Programs and Lifelong Learning Services at 472-1392. n UNL is a nondiscriminatory institution ^ in —--" " ' By the I News Digest Edited by Brandon Loomis I V- ■■■■ ■' ... ■■ ■ ^ 1 West Germany agrees to offer j 1 -to-1 ratio on merging marks EAST BERLIN - West Germany agreed on Monday to give East Ger ij$ mans a bigger share of Western wealth L as their struggling nation is merged | with its rich neighbor. In a surprising concession, West Germany said it would exchange each virtually worthless East German mark paid to workers and pensioners for one strong West German mark. The 1-1 rate would apply to wages and pensions and to savings accounts of up to 4,000 marks ($2,300), said Dieter Vogel, spokesman for West German Chancellor Helmut Kohl. The East German government had demanded the 1-1 rate to protect workers from higher living costs in a unified Germany and the loss of huge subsidies that existed in the former socialist system. East German political factions applauded the wage concession but criticized the limit on savings ac counts. Kohl made the proposal the day before he was to meet with East Ger man Prime Minister Lothar de Maizi ere in Bonn to discuss their differ ences over reunification. It came amid reports that the number of East Germans fleeing their crum bling economy lor West Germany is continuing at a rate of more than 4,000 a week. U nder the West German cconom ic proposal, announced after Kohl met with his Cabinet, personal savings of more than 4,(XX) marks would be traded at a 2-1 rate. East German private and corpo rate debts also would be converted at a 2-1 rale, Vogel said. The West German government’s proposal is an “important contribu lion” to ending the disagreements between the nations, East German government spokesman Mathias Gehler said. But Wolfgang Ullman, vice presi dent of Parliament, said: “If this is the final decision, there should be sharp protest because a large part of savings will not be considered here.” Both governments say they will “4 4-“ If this is the final decision, there should be sharp protest because a large part of savings wilt not be consid ered here. Wolfgang Ullman vice president of East German parliament -* f merge their economies completely on July 1 as a prelude to full unifica tion, expected next year. The East German mark is offi cially valued at 3-1 against the West mark but is worth almost nothing outside East Germany. West Germany’s central bank had proposed a 2-1 swap, saying a 1-1 exchange would dilute the value of the West German mark and possibly cause high inflation and rising inter est rates. But Vogel said the government run Bundesbank “has fully accepted that this is a decision made by the federal government.” 4 ‘The Bundesbank has also accepted that the economically prettiest solu tion cannot always be taken’ he said. But prices on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange plunged 2,5 percent after the announcement, their steepest decline since January. Social Democrat Oskar Lafontainc, Kohl’s likely opponent, on Monday accused the chancellor of caving in to pressure from the East Germans. But the left-leaning East German Social Democrats, who arc allied with their Western namesakes, called the wage exchange “a step in the right direction.” The currency exchange is a key part of a broader proposal for unifica tion being pul together by the Kohl government. De Mai/.ierc’s govern ment came up with its own proposals two weeks ago. Both sides have embraced quick unification, but differ on how much burden each nation should carry. Talks on the strategic future of a united Germany also arc expected soon with the World II allies that divided Germany: the Soviet Union, the United States, France and Britain. The new democratic government elected on March 18 has not been able to halt mass migration. The East German government news agency ADN said Monday that nearly 20,000 East Germans have migrated in April alone, giving a total of 167,09since the beginning of the year. _ ! 0 g Now the PC you always wanted comes with the money to buy it! [I li III ^}jf M 1 ZENITH INNOVATES AGAIN “ I Aii; Firs/ there was hardware. Then there was _ __^ software. Now there’s Zenith Loanware.'* 1 ^ With Zenith Loanware, you can buy the Zenith ^ ZENITH Data Systems laptop or desktop PC you’ve always ddta SVStems wanted for college. And all it takes is a little teamwork --*■ with your parents. 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Or call: 1-800-553-0143 j j Graphics simulate Mlcrt«<l^l, UWWs a pnaloct anti trademark of Ma rtiw4i Corporanm, /rmfh l/nnwa.T w a rollrgr loan program from 7mith Data System* in tnof rr.it inn with f iru Amrru an Hank Zenith Loanware tt offered only to full time and half time students ai accredited degree granting. post art nndary educational in*titutu»m F«nw N» 13M Ol 9B9, Zentih D»u Systems White House welcomes flexibility ! but leaves Lithuania options open WASHINGTON - The While House on ; Monday welcomed whal il called signs of flexibility from Moscow in its standoff with Lithuania, and said President Bush will meet with congressional leaders today to discuss the crisis. The State Department said U.S.-Soviet trade talks arc still scheduled to begin in Paris today. Bush, answering reporters who asked if he might call ofl those talks in response to the Soviet economic crackdown, said: “I’ll sure let you know when I make a decision.” Secretary of State James A. Baker III cau tioned last week that economic relations “are being pul to risk by Soviet actions in Lithu ania.” In another sign of business as usual, a senior State Department official said Monday that Baker will meet May 5 in Bonn with the foreign ministers of the Soviet Union, Britain and France on security concerns raised by pros pects of German unification. In Moscow, the spokesman for Soviet Presi dent Mikhail Gorbachev said the Kremlin might negotiate with Lithuania if it frce/.cs its March 11 declaration of independence for two years. Arkady Maslennikov, Gorbachev’s press secretary, said Soviet leaders were willing to talk to Lithuanian leaders if they will acknowl edge they are still subject to the Soviet Constitution. Lithuanian leaders have refused to do that, saying the republic was forcibly annexed by the Soviet Union in 1940. Lithuania s 3.8 million people began their first f ull work week since Gorbachev cut off supplies ol oil, natural gas and other raw mate rials to the republic. On Sunday, Lithuania halted exports to Soviet republics and foreign customers. White House spokesman Marlin Fitz.watcr said Monday that the Bush adminstration was still consulting with allies on what course to take. The statements from the Kremlin “do ap pear to show some flexibility. We are hopeful that that s the case,” he said. It s impossible lor us to know exactly what these statements ... mean, but if they are indicative of the two sides being able to get together, that would be a welcome sign,” Fit/wa ter said. Bush, he said, would meet this morning with bipartisan leaders of Congress to “discuss the Lithuanian matter.” “I would not expect any announcements from us on any course of action before that point,” Fitzwatcrsaid. “We don’t want to give any indication to what actions we might take.” Fit/walcr declined to comment on specula tion that the United States might postpone planned trade and investment assistance to the Soviet Union. However, he said, “I rule out no options.” “The decision has not been made by the president yet. It depends upon analysis being conducted by the NSC (National Security Council) and the Stale Department at this time,” Fitzwatcr said. Meanwhile, a planned meeting Monday between Alcxsandr Yakovlty, the Soviet Communist Party secretary, and Vice Presi dent Dan Quay le w as postponed at the Soviets request, the White House said. The Soviets gave no reason for postponing the meeting. r ■ ■ ■ —-1 NetSraskan g Editor Amy Edwards, 472-1766 Managing Editor Ryan Steeves Assoc News Editors Lisa Donovan Eric Pfannar B General Manager Dan Shattil Production Manager Katharine Policky Advertising Manager j0n Daahnka Sales Manager Kerry Jetfrles Publications Board b| Chairman Bill Vobajda, 436-9993 Professional Adviser Don Walton, 473-7301 J The Daily NebraskanfUSPS 144-080) is published by IheUNl Publications Board, Nebraska Union 34,1400 H St., Lincoln, NE, Monday through Friday dur ng the academic year, weekly during sumnei sessions ; Readers are encouraged to submit story ideas and comments to the Daily Nebraskan by phoning 472-1 763 between 9am and 5 p m Monday through Friday the public also has access to the Publications Board tor information, contact Pam Hem, 472-2588 Subscription price Is $45 for one year Postmaster Send address changes to the Daily Ne braskan, Nebraska Union 34. 1400 R St Lincoln Nfc 08588 0448 Second class postage paid atl incoin, Nfc ALL MATERIAL COPYRIGHT 1990 DAILY NEBRASKAN
