SAIGON DROPS CASE AGAINST SIX PAPERS
Date: 18 February 1975
S Vietnam Govt on Feb 17 drops libel charges against 6 newspapers that had been accused of defaming Pres Thieu by publishing allegations of corruption; 4 of papers, have been closed; Information Ministry issues statement that prosecution of papers is no longer necessary because Govt had broken ring of 'underground Communist cadres' (S)
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U.S. Embassy in Phnom Penh Recommends Limited Evacuation
Date: 17 February 1975
By SYDNEY H. SCHANBERG Special to The New York Times
Sydney SCHANBERG
Amer Embassy officials in Cambodia reptdly issue statement 'strongly' recommending that all dependents and other non-essential personnel of Amers in Phnom Penh be evacuated until conditions improve; situation seen as potentially more serious than during previous annual dry-season insurgent campaigns; embassy official says evacuation involves only 30 to 40 Amers; embassy reptdly has classified non-essential personnel such as missionaries and teachers as 'desirables'; non-essnetial hippies and drifters are classified as 'undesirables'; efforts by Embassy officials to get word to 'undesirable' persons of offer of free flights out of country outlined (M)
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Reporter's Notebook: Kissinger Seems Optimistic, but Progress Is Not Clear; Reporter's Notebook: A Confident Kissinger
Date: 17 February 1975
By BERNARD GWERTZMAN Special to The New York Times
Bernard Special
Reporter's Notebook: comments on experiences of newsmen accompanying Sec Kissinger on his 5-day trip through Middle East (L)
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CHANGE IS URGED ON 'RIGHT TO KNOW'; Group Proposing Guidelines for Government Agencies
Date: 18 February 1975
NYS-apptd citizens' com on freedom of information develops proposal under which New Yorkers would have easier time making govt officials let them see public records; was charged under measure passed in '74 with advising state and local govts on what information they have to make public, issuing rules and opinions on what citizens have right to see and suggesting changes to improve law; under 3d mandate, com, which is headed by Columbia Univ Journalism School Dean Elie Abel, has redesigned '74 law with respect to public documents and has drafted another measure dealing with obligation for most of public's business to be conducted in open meetings; Abel and com exec dir Louis R Tomson outline proposed changes; current law states what official records should be available for public perusal; revision would say what is not available, with presumption that everything else is public; if citizen wants to see record and official refuses, appeal would be made to cts, not to com, part-time operation with small staff; in an appeal, burden of proof would be on official who rejects request for information, not on citizen who makes it, and if govt loses, judge could charge citizen's ct costs to govt; Tomson notes that com, officially named Com on Public Access to Records, has been issuing 30 opinions a mo on what material should be made public; com, apptd in final days of Gov Malcolm Wilson adm, expects to start discussions soon with Gov Carey adm, as well as with Legis leaders, on its proposals (M)
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BRITAIN OFFERING SOVIET $2-BILLION IN TRADE CREDITS; Wilson, Ending Moscow Trip, Says Low-Interest Loans Will Be Spur to Exports BRITAIN OFFERING SOVIET $2-BILLION
Date: 18 February 1975
By CHRISTOPHER S. WREN Special to The New York Times
Christopher WREN
Brit Prime Min Harold Wilson says GB will extend to USSR about $2-billion in law-interest credits for purchases of Brit tech over next 5 yrs, news conf at end of 5-day official visit to Moscow; notes discussions with Soviet leadership led to new phase in Anglo-Soviet relations; defends decision to offer low-interest credits at time when GB has been hit by recession while USSR has been increasing its foreign currency holdings with greater oil profits; says credits will help provide jobs for Brit workers and will not be extended except for concrete agreements with Brit firms; says in internatl competition for export of capital equipment, credit is important issue; signs joint document with Soviet Premier Aleksei N Kosygin asserting aim of broader program for econ cooperation is to make best use of econ and indus potential of both countries; document says considerable scope exists for participation by Brit concerns in construction of indus enterprises in USSR on basis of long-term bank credits with repayment in form of product; both sides agree to attempt to increase trade substantially and achieve better balance (M)
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Judgeship Battle at Hand For Albany Democrats
Date: 18 February 1975
By FRANCIS X. CLINES Special to The New York Times
Francis CLINES
NYS Assembly's Dem reformers and regulars are expected to renew battle over proposed '75 election calendar; insurgents charge it has been rigged to let orgn leaders fill number of Civil Ct judgeships in NYC without having opportunity to make primary challenges; calendar proposal made by Assembly leadership sets State Sup Ct nominating conv for late July; in past, conv was held in Sept; New Dem Coalition members Edward H Lehner and G Oliver Koppell charge date change will allow orgn to fill perhaps half of Sup Ct nominations with judges promoted from Civil Ct; in city, 16 Sup Ct scats are to be filled; historically, Civil Ct judges placed on Sup Ct ballot resign, and nominees for their vacated seats on lower cts are filled by county orgns; timing will prevent primary challenge of these nominees because nominations occur after June 24 primary but not close enough to Nov election to be delayed until '76 voting; insurgents favor return to Sept judicial conv; Assembly Majority Leader Albert Blumenthal says bill with primary date of June 24 will not be moved on floor; Repub Sen John D Calandra favors Sept 9 primary (M)
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