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NationWorld 8A The Marshall News Messenger, Saturday, June 3, 2000 embrace Russia Clinton suggests NATO, EU may Cox News Service AACHEN, Germany Reaching qut to Moscow on the eve of his first summit with the new Russian leader, President i -i TA. it a I state, such as North Korea or Iraq. -I Russia opposes the project, saying it would upset the balance of power between the world's two largest possessors of, nuclear weapons. Clinton offered earlier this week share with the Russians about how to prevent such' rogue attacks, In an interview Thursday night on NBC? TV, Putin said that he would be receptivi to such talks. Meanwhile, leaders in France, Germany and elsewhere across the continent have echoed Russia's concerns.

(EDs: Story can end here. Optional add follows.) German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, who raised the fear Thursday that a missile defense shield could trigger it renewed U.S.-Russian arms race, reiterr ated those concerns during Friday's award ceremony. He added, further, that such a system could threaten the U.S.European unity. "You, Bill, have always sought to bring about progress in disarmament," said Schroeder. "It is therefore good that you have said that, in making a decision, when the time comes, the relevant security and disarmament aspects in particular will be weighed." Continued Schroeder, "this includes considering the impact on other important states, as well as possible consequences for the cohesion of the Atlantic alliance.

Our overriding objective must remain to guarantee durable security and to carefully choose the best means to this end in any given Clinton is weighing whether to build a limited NMD system that, proponents claim, would be able to intercept anfl destroy one or a few ballistic missiles fired at the United States from across the Pacific ocean. The Pentagon plans to test the system in July then advise Clinton on its projected cost now between $26 billion and $60 billion and effectiveness. It would take four or five years to put into place. A decision from Clinton isn't expected until the fall. activity and capital flight Putin needs to present a credible plan for addressing those ills before American and other foreign investors will find Russia attractive, and the United States and multinational bank's will step up badly needed aid.

Cm Friday, Clinton journeyed to here to Aachen, regarded by many as the cradle of Europe, where he was awarded the prestigious Charlemagne Prize, named for the conqueror who placed most of present-day Europe under his rule 1,200 years ag: Clinton used the occasion to try to allay concerns across Europe about the growing dominance of U.S. might, paying tribute to his own country's roots and casting the United States as a product of European vision and drive. "We've always had our differences," Clinton said. "But the simple fact is, since Europe is an idea as much as a place, America also is a part of Europe, bound by ties of family, history and values." Citing the New World explorations of Portuguese, Spanish, French, British and others, Clinton said, "without the longing for a new Europe, there never would have been an America in the first place." Clinton stressed, though, that European security remains integral lo U.S. strategic policy, vowing that there would be no diminution in the American role as leader of the NATO alliance at the core of Europe's defense.

"Europe's security remains tied to America's security," Clinton said. "When it is threatened, as it has in Bosnia and Kosovo, we, too, will respond. When it is being built, we, too, will always take part." But even as he re-asserted U.S. strategic interests in the continent, Clinton sought to assuage growing concerns in some quarters of Europe over the growing influence the United States enjoys as the world's last remaining economic and military superpower. Those concerns have been rekindled by a proposal Clinton is weighing to build a missile defense system to protect the United States from the threat of a intercontinental ballistic attack by a rouge Ullnion suggesieu rnuay uiai rvuasia might one day become part of both NATO and the European Union.

His remarks were part of a larger call for the United5States and Europe to step up efforts to fold Russia into the global mainstream as a way to heh? advance the uneven pace of democratic and economic reforms in the former Communist superpower. "We must work to build a partnership with Russia that encourages stability, democracy and cooperative engagement with the West, and full integration with global institutions," said Clinton, who travels to Moscow on Saturday for a weekend summit with newly elected President Vladimir Putin. "That means no doors can be sealed shut to Russia not NATO's, not the (European Union's)," said. "The alternative would be a future of harmful competition between Russia and the rest, and the end of our vision of an undivided continent." Russia has had an observation and consultative role within NATO since 1994, and Russian troops have participated with NATO forces in peacekeeping operations in Bosnia and Kosovo. Russia hasn't sought full membership in the alliance that stood sentry against Soviet divisions throughout the Cold War.

Much has changed, though, since the Soviet Union's collapse in 1991. "Borders built to stop tanks now manage invasions of tourists and trucks," said Clinton, adding that the prospect of a fuller embrace between Russia, and NATO and the EU the security and economic institutions that bore the Western alliance through decades of Cold War against the former Soviet Union should not be ruled out. Clinton is scheduled to fly to Moscow Saturday night, local time, after participating in a day-long conference on 21st Century governance in Berlin. Associated Press PRESIDENT CLINTON, back row left, and the Prime Minister of the Netherlands Wim Kok, back row right, pose for a group picture along with German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, front row left, Brazilian President Fernando Henrique Cardoso, front row second left, and the Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Guterres, bottom row second right, and Costas Simitis from Greece, right, in Berlin Friday, on the eve of the Conference of Progressive Governance. Putin plans to host Clinton for a working dinner at the Kremlin, setting up a day of summitry and a joint press conference on Sunday.

On Monday, Clinton will become the first U.S. president to address the State Duma, Russia's lower house of parliament. The first meeting between the two leaders since Putin's election in March, the summit is expected to focus on a high stakes set of nuclear arms and missile defense talks. Clinton's national security adviser, Samuel R. "Sandy" Berger, has repeatedly cautioned reporters to expect no immediate breakthroughs on those fronts.

Clinton and Putin are already scheduled to meet three more times this year, and the two leaders are far apart over nuclear arms reductions and the question of whether the United States should deploy a national missile defense (NMD) system. Berger said, though, that the two men will likely ink an accord calling for each side to dispose of 34 tons of weapons-grade' Plutonium, enough to produce thousands of nuclear warheads, over an agreed upon period of time. Also on the agenda will be Putin's plans for shoring up the Russian economy, improving but still beleaguered by high inflation, rampant corruption, criminal Stock market soars Friday as iinemplo yment rate creeps up essoncieir lossiffSsi i WASHINGTON' (AP) The natidh's unemployment rate rose to 4.1 percent in May as businesses cut 116,000 jobs, the biggest reduction in nine years. Friday's report triggered a rally on Wall Street, where it was viewed as the best evidence yet that the red-hot economy is slowing enough to keep the Federal Reserve from boosting interest rates further. "This is a strong indication that the economy is throttling back from its very robust growth of the past year," said Mark Zandi, senior economist at RFA Dismal Sciences in West Chester, Pa.

The Labor Department report showed the jobless rate rose by 0.2 percentage point from a 30-year low of 3.9 percent reached in April. While private sector jobs The Dixie Vouth UJorlcl Series Is Coming To Marshall August We would like to thank the following companies and individuals who have already become sponsors to make this exciting event happen: last month but it is still robust and near record levels," Labor Secretary Alexis Herman told reporters. Fewer jobs and slower wage advances aren't good news for workers, but investors viewed the data as strong evidence that the Fed's campaign to raise interest rates to slow growth and keep inflation in check was starting to bear fruit. Stocks soared on the jobs data. The technology-heavy Nasdaq composite index rose 231 points to close at 3,813.

Nasdaq stocks were up 19 percent for the week, the strongest performance in history. The Dow Jones industrial average also posted a strong gain on Friday, rising 143 points to close at 10,795. For the week, the Dow was up 4.8 percent. the Fed'riroint T)f view, this is a perfect jobs report. Job growth slowed significantly and there are absolutely no signs of inflation," said Bill Cheney, chief economist at John Hancock Financial Services in Boston.

A separate report Friday from the Commerce Department showed widespread weakness in manufacturing. Orders to U.S. factories fell by 4.3 percent in April, the biggest setback since November 1990. The Fed has pushed interest rates up six times since last June 30, including an aggressive half-point boost on May 16 that followed five quarter-point increases. There had been fears the Fed would raise rates by another half-point on June 28.

But Friday's unemployment report, coming on the heels of other reports showing a slowdown in housing and auto sales, has made many analysts believe the Fed may decide to leave the rates alone. "The uptick in the unemployment rate and the decline in private sector employment conclusively demonstrate that the labor markets are in no danger of overheating and that wage pressures are still contained," said National Association of Manufacturers president Jerry Jasinowski, who has criticized the Fed for overdoing its credit tightening. Other analysts, however, cau; turned against readings tooTnuclT into one month of jobless data. They noted that the May report was heavily influenced by seasonal adjustment factors that exaggerated the month's weakness following two months of unusually strong gains. Many analysts said unusually warm weather in March and April had boosted hiring that normally would have occurred in May.

"One month does not a trend make," said Bruce Steinberg, chief economist at Merrill Lynch in New York. "The weakness in May was partly a correction for the exaggerated strength of March and April." WW suvcn Martex Drilling Swepco Marshall News Messenger enonzc sporuon Baldwin, Baldwin Republic Industries Cider Randall Autoplex Castman Chemical General Motors Hibernia National Bank lllK.lt, 111JLJ TI UvJ VllUVl f)W eminent hiring of temporary Census workers. Wage pressures eased during May with hourly earnings up by only 0.1 percent, compared with a 0.4 percent rise in April that had raised fears that tight labor markets might spark inflationary wage increases. The Clinton administration, hoping a strong economy will persuade voters to reward Al Gore and other Democrats in the fall elections, quickly noted that even with the weakness in May, labor markets remained at levels not seen in more than a generation, "The economy took a breather BASF Corp. BICC General Cable Logan LUhaley Longview Bank Trust Norit America P.K.

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Mrs, Steve Carlile Fredonia Bank MJB Wood Group Richard Karen Roark Ruby Pelz Trust Gore takes aim at absent fathers paid by fathers would go into a trust fund, which the children would receive once the family is off welfare. This would cost the government $2.3 billion over 10 years. "Too many fathers don't pay child support because they assume the gov Allen Staggers, Jr. F. UJaune McLUhorter Your help is needed to make this a once-in-a-lifetime experience for the 312 kids, 72 coaches and anticipated 12,000 fans.

Call Lea McGed at 938-4035 or 926-6031 to get further information detailing sponsorship opportunities for companies as well as individuals. (Contributions are tax deductible.) ernment can take care of their F7. i iuiiiueu iui uiem, uie vice I president said. "That's Cox News Service WASHINGTON Vice President Al Gore on Friday proposed a second wave of welfare reforms that would require absent fathers to take more responsibility for their children. With one-third of American children currently living apart from their fathers, many in poverty, "we have a national obligation to insist upon responsible fatherhood everywhere and from everyone," Gore said in a speech to the National Fatherhood Initiative, a public interest group.

"Fathers must take responsibility for the children they bring into the world," Gore said as he outlined what he described as "a second generation" of welfare reforms building on those signed into law by President Clinton in 1998. Gore proposed that fathers who owe child support be required to pay up or go to work. "We've been requiring that of the mothers let's require it of the fathers," he said. Those who are unemployed could wrong. Gore also proposed that fatherhood programs include domestic violence prevention classes and counseling, pnd that credit card companies deny credit to parents who owe substantial amounts of child support.

"Deadbeat dads should pay what they owe to their children, or they will leave home ccnponnTc Diamond Platinum Silver Bronze Blue Red $4004499 $3004399 $2004299 $1004199 $25499 GORE qualify for job training, he said. Gore also proposed the creation of "Parental Responsibility Accounts" as an incentive to get families off welfare. Under the plan, states could allow at least $50 of monthly child support to go to families on welfare without affecting their benefits. Additional amounts without it," he quipped. Gore also suggested changes in tax laws to eliminate the so-called "marriage penalty," which results in some couples paying a higher tax rate, and to expand the Earned Income Tax.

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