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Time - Man of the Year
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1988-12-31
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4KB
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88 lines
GRAPEVINE, Page 9
By JANICE CASTRO
Put Up or Else
Blunt talk on trade marked a private meeting between Dan
Quayle and Kiichi Miyazawa during the Japanese Prime Minister's
visit to Washington last week. The Vice President brought up the
troubled U.S.-JAPAN BUSINESS COUNCIL, which has been holding
talks aimed at lowering trade barriers. Prospects looked good
after President Bush visited Japan in January. But progress
stalled last month when Japanese members abruptly denied that
problems exist. Snapped a Japanese CEO to his U.S. counterparts:
"You just aren't competitive." The seething Americans threatened
to quit the council. After Quayle complained at length over
breakfast with Miyazawa last Thursday, the Japanese Prime
Minister told an aide, "I want this solved." American executives
say unless they see some progress in the next round of talks,
which start this weekend in Tokyo, they will call for
retaliatory action against Japan.
Read My Lips: No Test Ban
Now that the Soviet Union has collapsed, many Americans
believe it is time for the U.S. to join its former enemy in a
NUCLEAR TESTING moratorium. The Administration opposes a ban.
Bill Clinton has made it an election issue, but the fight is
only beginning. The House and more than half the Senate support
the one-year test ban written into the 1993 defense
authorization bill. President Bush may veto the bill to kill the
ban. Four more nuclear tests are planned this year, and six
next. The Administration insists that testing is needed to
ensure the safety and reliability of the U.S. arsenal. But at
least three upcoming blasts are designed primarily to test the
effects on Star Wars equipment that would be powered by nuclear
explosions.
Never Put It in Writing
Just what was in those notes that got CAP WEINBERGER
indicted last month for committing perjury and obstructing the
congressional investigation of Iran-contra? Since Weinberger's
handwriting is virtually unreadable, the Iran-contra committee
had to persuade his former secretary, Kay Leisz, to translate.
One note supposedly read, "McFarlane called re price of HAWKS
for Israel." Said another: "McFarlane called re HAWKS and TOWS
for Israel." Both could refer to illegal arms transfers to Iran
in 1985. Said a source who has reviewed some of the notes:
"Jeez, it sure looks bad." But he adds optimistically, "There
is substantial ambiguity."
This Sale Is a Mirage
The Bush Administration's reluctance to offend Beijing may
cost General Dynamics a bundle. Taiwan has been trying for 10
years to buy F-16 fighter-bombers, but the U.S. has refused, in
order to avoid stirring up Beijing. Washington did compromise
by allowing enough technology transfers and help from General
Dynamics so that Taiwan could build an indigenous defense
fighter (IDF) based on the F-16. But word out of Taipei is that
the initials really stand for "It Don't Fly." Now that Beijing
is buying Soviet-built Su-27 fighters, Taiwan is running out of
patience. Diplomatic sources say Taipei has decided to buy about
60 MIRAGE 2000 fighters from France. Paris, it seems, is not so
worried as Washington about Beijing's feelings.
THEY'RE NOT LIBERALS
Gay Republicans want respect. The Log Cabin Federation, a
national gay Republican organization with 5,000 members, will
hold its convention in Houston next month. Says Rich Tafel,
president of the group: "We're conservative, promilitary -- and
in the military. But George Bush has turned his back on us."
THE YO-YO HAS LANDED
Space-shuttle duty is tough. On next month's mission, one
astronaut will practice Rock the Cradle, Skin the Cat and Around
the World in zero gravity. nasa hopes that a videotape of stunts
with the SB-2 -- a $75 high-tech yo-yo -- will interest kids in
space. If that's the point, maybe the space agency should show
the astronauts watching television.