\baselineskip not working in a model

Hi, I'm trying to modify a model for a conference paper and I have to
match a certain Word template.

I started with a suggested model (that unfortunately was not working).
Now, the point is that I have to reduce the baselieskip in the
abstract, but no matter what I write, the baselineskip is always the
same. These are the parts of the code: that should be interesting:

=====MAIN FILE===================
\documentclass[12pt]{article}
\usepackage{MODEL}
\begin{document}
\title{Instructions for Preparing a Paper for EM08 Proceedings}
\author{P.~Bocchini\\
\emph{University of Bologna, Italy}\\
\emph{\textcolor{blue}{\underline{12312@xxxxxxxx}}}\\
}

\maketitle
\thispagestyle{firstpage}

\abstract{
123123123 123123132 13213123 1231231231}

\section*{Introduction}%\label{}
123 123 123 123 132 1
\end{document}

=====MODEL.sty===================
\usepackage[round]{natbib}
\usepackage{graphicx}
\usepackage{color}

\usepackage{fancyhdr}
\pagestyle{fancy}
\lhead{}
\chead{}
\rhead{}
\lfoot{}
\cfoot{}
\rfoot{{\small \thepage}}

\fancypagestyle{firstpage}{
\fancyhf{}
\fancyhead[L]{{\scriptsize \emph{Inaugural International Conference of
the Engineering Mechanics Institute}}}
\fancyfoot[R]{{\small \thepage}}
}

\topmargin -37pt%-0.6in%-0.5in
\textheight 9in
\oddsidemargin 0.25in
\evensidemargin 0.25in
\textwidth 6in
\parindent 0pt
\baselineskip 14pt
\parskip \baselineskip
\listparindent 0pt
\headwidth \textwidth
\renewcommand\headrulewidth{0pt}

\newfont{\titlefont}{phvbc scaled\magstep2}
\newfont{\abstractfont}{phvb}
\newfont{\headingfont}{phvb scaled\magstep1}
\newfont{\captionfont}{phvb}
\renewcommand{\small}{\fontsize{10}{12}\selectfont}
\renewcommand{\scriptsize}{\fontsize{9}{12}\selectfont}

\renewcommand\@maketitle{
\null
\vspace{-0.5in}
\begin{center}
{\titlefont \@title \par}
\vskip 3pt
{\lineskip .25em
\begin{tabular}[t]{c}\@author \end{tabular}\par}
\end{center}
}

\def\abstract#1{
\setlength{\baselineskip}{12pt}
\vspace{\baselineskip}
\noindent{\abstractfont Abstract}

{\small #1}
\setlength{\baselineskip}{14pt}
}

%\renewcommand\section{\@startsection{section}{1}{0pt}
% {0.0in plus .1ex minus .1ex}{0.1ex plus .1ex}{\headingfont}
%}

\renewcommand\section{\@startsection {section}{1}{0pt}%
{0.0in \@plus .1ex \@minus -.1ex}%
{0.1ex \@plus .1ex}%
{\headingfont}}

\renewcommand\subsection{\@startsection{subsection}{2}{\z@}
{.1ex plus .1ex minus .1ex}{0.1ex plus 0.1ex}{\it}
}

\def\acknowledgements#1{
\setlength{\baselineskip}{12pt}
\vspace{0.125\baselineskip}
\noindent{\abstractfont Acknowledgements}

{\small #1}
\setlength{\baselineskip}{14pt}
}

====================================
What can I do?

Thanks,
Paolo Bocchini
.