The Michigan Daily - Monday, September 11, 2000 - 9A
'Palestinian leaders delay plans to declare statehood
The Wshington Post
GAZA CITY - Under concerted Israeli
and international pressure, the Palestinian
leadership yesterday abandoned plans to
declare the establishment of an independent
tate on Wednesday.
Members of the Palestine Liberation Orga-
nization 's 129-member Central Council
stressed that their decision, which was
expected, was not an indefinite postpone-
ment of Palestinian statehood but was
intended to give the troubled Middle East
peace talks a few more weeks to bear fruit.
Still, the council's move was the second
such postponement in the past 16 months
and it underlined a sense amoug Palestinians
that they are powerless to achieve their
national aspirations without Israel's express
consent in a negotiated settlement.
I.acking such an agreement. Israel had threat-
ened to retaliate for any Palestinian declaration
of statehood by annexing land it controls in the
West Bank and bottling up workers and com-
merce inside Palestinian-controlled areas.
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, speak-
ing to ABC News in New York before Sun-
day's council decision, applauded a delay as
"a positive sign." He added: "But we still
have to have no illusions. We still have a lot
of work to do."
Negotiations between the two sides, which
reached an impasse at Camp David in July
despite intense U.S. mediation, have contin-
ued in fits and starts and are expected to
resume in the Middle East this week. There
is broad agreement that with the Clinton
administration in its 1I1th hour and Barak in
deep political trouble, time might be run-
ning out to conclude a sweeping peace deal.
The United States said yesterday it would
continue to try to help Israel and the Pales-
tinians to reach an agreement on statehood.
"We still recognize that there is a difficult
road ahead but they have indicated that there
may be follow-up discussion ... as early as
this week," said National Security Council
spokesman P.J. Crowley. "So we will contin-
ue to look for ways to be supportive."
Among Israelis and Palestinians, however,
there are nearly universally pessimistic assess-
ments of the chances for a breakthrough, and
thoughtful people on both sides are saying flatly
that it might be impossible to paper over con-
flicting claims to sovereignty over Jersualem, the
rights of refugees and other questions.
In a statement issued at the conclusion of a
two-day meeting yesterday evening, the
Palestinian council set no new fixed date for
a declaration of independence.
However, it did call for progress reports on
steps toward statehood -- including prepara-
tions for new presidential and parliamentary
elections and an application for full U.N.
membership by Nov. 15.
Palestinians had been vowing to declare a
state by Sept. 13 since last fall, when the lat-
est interim deal with Israel set that as the lat-
est deadline for a sweeping peace deal to end
a half-century's conflict.
RUN
Continued from Page 1A
*un gave a chance for Bollinger to
interact with and share his passion for
exercise with the University Conmmun i-
ty, said Jim Kosteva, director of commur-
nity relations.
Bollinger is often spotted jogging at
campus facilities throughout the year.
The run began as part of Bollinger's
presidential inaugural events in 1997.
Along the course, a small group of
9Michigan Marching Band members
layed inspirational songs such as "Hail
to the Victors" to encourage the runners.
Kristine Komives, a financial and
physical resources CPU, said she
joined the other 139 participants
because she likes the sense of commu-
nity the run creates.
"I do it because I like to be connected
to the University. It's given me so much
and it's nice to be able to participate in
something like this," Komives said.
When students asked Bollinger
whether the three-mile run was as
exhausting as teaching his course of the
first amendment, Bollinger said the run
didn't even compare.
"This is only a half an hour,"
Bollinger said. "My class is 13 weeks:"
Along with a wonderful afternoon
of running, LSA junior Ross Smith
participated in the race for the free T-
shirt and free food.
* Although the run was not officially a
race, LSA sophomore Ryan Rettman,
crossed the finish line first with a time
of 17:09. When asked how he felt about
finishing first, Rettman breathlessly
responded, "It felt good. I liked the
course."
CANTOR
Continued from Page 1A
,d out of the window after she was
seen drinking at a fraternity party. ie
also is suing the maker of the loft.
Tests could not determine whether
Courtney Cantor was legally drunk at
the time of her death. There is also con-
jecture of whether she had ingested the
date-rape drug GHB. Trace amounts of
the drug were found in her system, but
because GHB is a naturally occurring
ubstance in the body, levels could not
proven to be abnormal.
But it was a debate over the classifi-
cation and worth of the documents, not
the details surrounding Cantor's death
that comprised Morris' ruling.
"The court does not agree that inci-
dent reports regarding other students,
even if frequent or numerous, are rele-
vant to whether the Regents provided
education and counseling to Courtney
Morris wrote.
"That other students abused drugs or
*ohol is not evidence that the Univer-
sity did not educate them as to the dan-
gers of drugs and alcohol: and even if it
were some indication of the adequacy
of the other student's education, it is not
evidence as to what education or infor-
mation Courtney received"
Peters contended the information is
classified as law enforcement records,
and can be released as a result of Uni
States v. Miami of Ohio, a case
hich took place earlier this year. The
judge in that case ruled that law
enforcement records of students are not
educational records.
Morris ruled that the incident
reports "clearly fall within the defini-
tion of 'education records.' Each such
report contains information directly
related to a student or students ... and
each report was prepared by a Resi-
dent Advisor of Mary Markley Hall,
* ing for the University."
Cantor declined to comment yester-
day and his attorney was unavailable.
Paul Edwards; the University's lead
counsel in the case, declined to com-
ment on Morris' decision because it is
part of ongoing court proceedings.
Nuclear scientist
to plead guilty in
Los Alamos case
AP PHOTO
Senatorial candidate Rep. Debbie Stabenow (D-Lansing) waves to supporters as she makes her entrance at the
Michigan Democratic Party State Convention on Saturday at Cobo Hall in Detroit.
SENATE
Continued from Page 1A
plan through Medicare that would provide seniors with
50 percent coverage for prescription drugs - up to
S2,000 per year - for a fee of S25 per month.
Abraham's plan relies less on Medicare and allows pri-
vate drug companies to compete with Medicare. Its benie-
fits adjust depending on the recipient's level of income.
All Medicare recipients with an income below S16,700
per year would have 100 percent of their prescription
drugs paid for once they had spent SI,200 in one year.
Those earning between S 16.701 and S33,400 per year
would have to pay a S35 monthly fee for 100 percent
drug coverage once they had spent S2,500 out of pocket.
Those with higher incomes would pay up to S5.000 of
their own money per year.
The Abraham-Stabenow debate over tax cuts is also
reflective of the presidential campaign.
"This isn't about me. It isn't about Spencer Abraham:'
Stabenow told delegates at the Michigan Democratic
Convention on Saturday. "It's about ... whether we pro-
tect Social Security and Medicare or use it to give tax
breaks to the wealthy."
She favors a tax cut for middle-class Americans, which
includes reducing the so-called "marriage penalty," a
child-care tax credit, a 53,000 tax break for those who
provide long-term care to the elderly or disabled and a
small-business pension fund tax credit. Her proposals
aimed at the working class are reminiscent of Gore's eco-
nomic plans for "the people, not the powerful."
Abraham supports larger, George W. Bush-style tax cuts
not limited to certain income brackets. Abraham has said he
would eliminate the marriage penalty, lower the tax bracket
for the working class by 7 percent and 2.8 percent for the
highest income bracket.
"We're actually looking and talking about issues the
voter's care about," said Abraham campaign manager Joe
McMongile. "Tax cuts are big."
The Abraham-Stabenow race even has its own debate
over debates. Stabenow wants Abraham to participate in
three town hall-format debates. Abraham's campaign said
Stabenow should agree to participate in a debate at the
Detroit IEconomic Club. If Stabenow accepted, Abraham's
campaign said it would consider further debates.
Bush and Gore are currently embroiled in a battle over
when, where and how many times they will debate.
Bush's campaign had proposed individual network
television debates as an alternative to the more formal
debates sponsored by the Presidential Commission on
Debates - an independent agency that has sponsored
presidential debates since 1988. Gore's campaign said
Bush's proposal was inadequate and insisted on debates
held by the Commission.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AlP) --
Los Alamos scientist Wen Ho Lee,
who was fired and jailed on charges of
mishandling nuclear weapons secrets,
has agreed to plead guilty to one
charge and will cooperate with federal
investigators, Justice Department
sources said yesterday.
Lee is expected to be released today
after a plea hearing befoie U.S. Dis-
trict Judge James Parker and be sen-
tenced to time already'served, ending a
3-year-old case that has been marked
by allegations of espionage and racial
profiling.
The accusations began as an offshoot
of a Chinese espionage case with dire
accusations that Lee had downloaded
the "crown jewels" of American sci-
ence, might be poised to hand them
over to a foreign power and might even
be spirited away by spies in helicopters.
The government ultimately backed
down from nearly all those charges.
"Dr. Lee and his family are thrilled
at the prospect that he may be released
unconditionally tomorrow," defense
attorney Mark Holscher said yesterday,
adding that he cannot elaborate on
terms of the settlement because they
have not yet been filed.
"Dr. Lee very much wants to go
home to his family," he said.
The government sources, speaking
on condition of anonymity, said a key
turning point in the two months of plea
discussions was Lee's willingness now
to explain what happened to seven
computer tapes he was accused of
downloading sensitive information
onto. Lee has said the tapes were
destroyed, now he will better explain
how, the officials said.
"The location and fate of the tapes
were always of paramount concern,"
one of the officials said.
The sources said Lee will plead
guilty to one of the 59 counts against
him of unlawful gathering of national
defense information.
Lee also will agree to hold himself
completely available for federal inves-
tigators and cooperate with them over
the next six months, the sources said,
and it was expected that Lee would
drop his allegations that prosecutors
went after him because he is Chinese-
American.
"This is a favorable resolution," one
of the sources said yesterday, adding
that it was a good outcome for both
sides.
Lee was accused of downloading
restricted material about nuclear
weapons to unsecured conputers and
tapes while working at Los Alamos
National Laboratory. His trial had
been set for Nov. 6, and he could have
faced life in prison if convicted of all
59 counts.
Lee has been jailed since his arrest
Dec. 10.
Prosecutors have said releasing Lee
would be a risk because he could pass
on the tapes or communicate their con-
tents to foreign governments.
Many scientific groups have protest-
ed the conditions of the Taiwan-born
Lee's arrest, saying he has been the
target of ethnic and racial profiling by
the government.
"It's an astonishing development and
an amazing retreat by the government.
said Steve Aftergood, who directs the
Project on Government Secrecy at the
Federation of American Scientists in
Washington, D.C. "They had evidently
decided he was not working in the
interest of a foreign power or to the
detriment of the United States."
WANT TO WRITE
FOR THE DAILY?
COME TO A MASS MEETING
AT 7 P.M. TOMORROW,
THURSDAY OR NEXT
MONDAY AT THE STUDENT
PUBLICATIONS BUILDING.
Lost caNEsh.
One travel adventure
you can live without.
w U
Institute for Social Research announces
a Public Lecture
Presented by Norman M. Bradburn
Assistant Director National Science Fou.idation Directorate for Social,
Behavioral, and Economic Research
Co-sponsored by the President's Information Revolution Commission
, e'.ak 4} ::TII1 A3 ffi7 V
t"( arA P,* ',"w c #',.T. f.u '.S".
wa H blfChR~f J. 0&Y.t '3Jf J£ ._U
(f Tb p it
!/ _ ,. r,) rl. k c, ~ c ., z ,.kA 3.rrt .,s.
Z A Boooc300 7^'
~~PL~S~ RAO i ~CTONS k';Y
Friday, September 15, 2000
3:00-5:00pm
Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre,
MI League
Lecture followed by panel,
commentary and open discussion
Reception Immediately Following
FULBRIGHT PROGRAM FOR
STUDY & RESEARCH ABROAD
The IE Fulbright programs support study abroad in over 100 countries, providing grants for
research, study and travel for selected countries, and various other opportunities such as
teaching assistantships.
Travel smart.
Carry American Express* Travelers Cheques.
They're safer than cash.
Whether you're surfing Baja, backpacking Europe, or just getting away for the
weekend, American Express Travelers Cheques are the way to go. They're accepted