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CU NEWSPAPER HEADLINES "ADENAUER ASKS STAMMBERGER TO STAY" AND "KOMMT DIE STAATSKRISE".
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Initials KC/S/MR/BB



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: A MAJOR POLITICAL CRISIS HAS BEEN TOUCHED OFF IN BONN, WEST GERMANY, WHICH THREATENS THE FUTURE OF THE ADENAUER COALITION GOVERNMENT. ONE LEADING MINISTER HAS RESIGNED AND FIVE OTHERS HAVE WARNED THAT THEY WILL RESIGN BY MIDDAY TOMORROW (MONDAY) UNLESS DR. ADENAUER CAN EXPLAIN WHY POLICE ACTION HAS BEEN TAKEN AGAINST THE NEWS MAGAZINE, DER SPIEGEL.

DER SPIEGEL IS ONE OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL MAGAZINES IN WEST GERMANY AND UNDER ITS YOUTHFUL PUBLISHER, RUDOLF AUGSTEIN, IT HAS BEEN ONE OF THE MOST EFFECTIVE OPPOSITION VOICES AGAINST DR. ADENAUER'S DEFENCE MINISTER, HERR FRANZ JOSEF STRAUSS, WHO HAS HELD THE POST SINCE 1956.

THE CRISIS FLARED UP LAST MONTH WHEN DER SPIEGEL PUBLISHED AN ARTICLE, IN ITS OCTOBER 10 ISSUE, WHICH APPARENTLY POINTED OUT THE WEAKNESSES AND SHORTCOMINGS OF THE WEST GERMAN ARMED FORCES TAKING PART IN A COMBINED NATO EXERCISE.

AS A RESULT, THE FEDERAL PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE STARTED INVESTIGATIONS AND LATER ARRESTED FIVE MEMBERS OF DER SPIEGEL'S STAFF - INCLUDING AUGSTEIN - ON SUSPICION OF TREASON. FEDERAL INVESTIGATORS ALSO TOOK OVER DER SPIEGEL'S OFFICES AND SEARCHED THE MAGAZINE'S FILES AND RECORDS.

BUT WHAT MADE THE CRISIS EVEN MORE SERIOUS WAS THAT THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, DR. STAMMBERGER, - WHO ADMINISTERS THE FEDERAL PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE - CLAIMED THAT HE WAS NOT INFORMED BEFOREHAND OF THE ACTION AND HE SENT IN HIS RESIGNATION TO DR. ADENAUER.

DR. STAMMBERGER, IS A MEMBER OF THE FREE DEMOCRATIC PARTY (FDP) WHICH HOLDS THE BALANCE OF POWER IN THE WEST GERMAN PARLIAMENT. LATER FIVE OTHER FDP MEMBERS OF THE COALITION ISSUED THEIR ULTIMATUM TO DR. ADENAUER. IF THEY RESIGN IT WILL LEAVE FR. ADENAUER WITHOUT A MAJORITY AND THREATENS THE DOWNFALL OF HIS GOVERNMENT.

HOWEVER, DESPITE THE POLICE ACTION, DER SPIEGEL IS DUE TO COME OUT TOMORROW (MONDAY) WITH AN ISSUE MOSTLY DEVOTED TO ITS SIDE OF THE CONTROVERSY. DER SPIEGEL, WHICH NORMALLY HAS A CIRCULATION OF ABOUT 200,000 HAS ANNOUNCED THAT IT HAS INCREASED ITS PRINT ORDER BY FORTY PER CENT.