AIRLIFT OF TROOPS

Press, Volume C, Issue 29501, 1 May 1961, Page 13

AIRLIFT OF TROOPS

U.S. Cancels Exercise (N 2P A -Keuter—ConvrtOhtl WASHINGTON, April 30 The United States Defence Department last night cancelled the planned airlift of 6000 combat-ready troops from the United States to West Germany. No official explanation was given But informed sources said the decision was taken after a meeting of the National Security Council, presided over by President Kennedy. The troops were to have been flown from Fort Campbell, Kentucky, as a demonstration of North Atlantic Treaty Organisation strength The purpose of the 15-day NATO. exercise, in which French and West German t-jeps were to take part was to test N A TO ’s ability to augment quickly European defensive forces. The troops—from the 101st Airborne Division—were to have been flown to Frankfurt by United States military transport planes.

Bulgarian Wedding Customs Preserved.— A Sofia press report has hailed a new form of wedding ceremony which preserved ‘‘beautiful old Bulgarian wedding customs” but got rid of religious rites. The solemnity of these new ceremonies, organised by the Komsomol youth organisations. still has to be improved. the Communist Party newspaper “Rabotnichesko Delo” warned. “Registration offices should be well deeorated with flowers, officials should be property dressed and have the correct air of solemnity.” —Reuters.